AFAP Qantas Pilot Council Briefing No.5 2025
LH Bargaining Update
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In our last long haul bargaining update we gave a brief outline of the progress of LH negotiations. In this update we mentioned Qantas were seeking at least 35 concessions in addition to training efficiencies. While some of these concessions are less significant than others, many will generate considerable consequences for long haul pilots.
Qantas has also tabled a proposed new pay structure that fits within the Company “wages policy”. Underpinning this proposal is Qantas’ belief its proposed pay structure will reduce training movements, creating significant cost savings. The AFAP has indicated we are prepared to negotiate within this structure but have not accepted the pay increases proposed within it.
Our formal response to Qantas’ proposed pay structure and claims is dependent on the Company’s position on our crew health, wellbeing and safety claims which include a claim for fatigue credits. The AFAP strongly believes a science based approach is required to recognise the fatiguing nature of night flying and provide pilots on the A350 and B787 equivalent recognition for this flying to pilots on the A330/A380.
The AFAP has tabled a crew health, wellbeing and safety proposal in advance of our meeting this week that works within the wages structure proposed by the Company. Qantas has advised it will respond to this claim in this meeting. Once we have a response on this claim, the AFAP will respond fully to the concession items proposed by the Company.
While we remain focused on achieving a negotiated outcome, we are committed to a thorough analysis of all proposed concessions, their offsets and their consequences. Long Haul pilots have experienced significant erosion of their protections in the last two EAs, with many concessions generating consequences unforeseen by many pilots at the time.
The concessions Qantas are seeking are, for the most part, fairly straight forward to calculate and value. Some however, are not simply a financial transaction, but would require additional mechanisms to protect pilots from the consequences of the proposed concessions.
As always, we must remember this agreement covers pay and conditions, both extremely important elements of the sustainability of our profession. Any final package we agree to must appropriately consider both elements and not exclude one for the other.
We will update members following our meeting next week.
Questions
For any enquiries regarding bargaining or other matters at Qantas please contact any of us or 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
David LaPorte – Committee Member
Josh Chalmers – Committee Member
Rob Close – Committee Member