Qantas Short Haul EA Update No 11
It has been a busy few weeks for the QPC, with Qantas including the AFAP in the drafting process for the proposed SH EBA9 despite initially advising we would be excluded due to our lack of endorsement of the proposal. The AFAP QPC reviewed the proposed changes made to the EA during the drafting process and provided a detailed response to Qantas.
As expected, the AFAP QPC reaffirmed its position of not endorsing the proposal. However, in response we provided a clear position to Qantas that we would be willing to endorse. It is important that we, as a negotiating team, outline what it is we need to say “yes” on behalf of the members we are representing. There is value in the AFAP endorsement, and it is important in bargaining to seek to utilise this value to maximise the benefits to our members.
It is equally important that our endorsement of a document reflects the position of our members. This is why we have been unable to reach agreement at this point, and the response we put back to Qantas was based on the key issues from our survey and direct feedback from SH pilots and AFAP SH pilot representatives.
The primary focus of the improvements put to the Company surround pay certainty and the mechanisms by which a neutral pay target could be reached. AFAP survey results very clearly outline that SH pilots prioritise achieving a neutral pay position (a wages policy compliant position that completely mitigates the wage freeze) and guaranteed pay rises that offset inflation.
We were able to advise the Company of areas where we agreed with the offer. We also highlighted areas where positive progress has been made on issues raised in our log of claims but where we felt improvements needed to be made to gain the support of the SH pilots.
The AFAP also advised that we could not endorse the majority of the concessions sought by Qantas as our survey results dictate that SH pilots do not support such concessions, and we believe the value of the concessions greatly outweigh the remuneration gains offered by the Company.
Following the provision of our feedback on the EA proposal, the Company requested a meeting with the QPC and the AFAP SH EA negotiating team. The meeting was productive and focused on addressing our feedback on the proposed EA. The Company SH EA negotiating team indicated they felt we were ‘not that far away’ from a position they could agree to. They also indicated that some of our modifications to the structural changes designed to guarantee remuneration gains for pilots warranted further discussions.
We advised the Company that our position as outlined in our response:
- addresses the majority of our claims;
- addresses all mutual claims;
- creates remuneration certainty to offset the wage freeze and inflation;
- protects pilots from unpredictable inflation spikes moving forward;
- accommodates the Company’s desired structure; and
- achieves their highest priority claim.
The Company’s position was that some of the improvements we require would create significant extra cost and inferred this would exceed the limit of cost that had been approved so far. Given the positive and proactive reception taken in this meeting by the Company, we believe that in the event of a no vote, it will be possible for us to make constructive steps towards an acceptable negotiated outcome. We also believe the Company’s cost limits approved so far for the negotiation will require reviewing, particularly in light of the high level of profitability of the business and prevailing economic climate.
Shortly we will release the AFAP’s SH EA explanatory document that outlines:
- The company’s proposed EA changes;
- Our analysis of these changes;
- The improvements the AFAP seeks to the proposed EA changes, and
- The next steps in the event of a no vote
Although this document is long, we ask members and non-members alike to please take the time to read it thoroughly, as changes made to EAs that may seem insignificant can have significant and lasting implications.
For any inquiries regarding Short Haul bargaining or other matters at Qantas please contact the AFAP legal and industrial team of Senior Legal/ Industrial Officer Pat Larkins (patrick@afap.org.au), Senior Industrial Officer Chris Aikens (chris@afap.org.au), or Executive Director Simon Lutton (simon@afap.org.au).
Regards,
AFAP Qantas Pilot Council
Michael Egan - Chair
Mark Gilmour - Vice- Chair
Daniel Kobeleff - Secretary
Michael Armessen - Committee Member