A group of Qantas pilots frustrated by the handling of negoti*ations for new workplace agreements have gained control of a powerful union committee as tensions with their airline employer rise.
Fifteen of the 20 pilots recently elected to the Australian and International Pilots Association committee of management, openly opposed the current union executive.
Under AIPA rules, executive decisions must be signed off by the CoM, which will meet for the first time next month.
“There’s a sense they’ve become a little too close to the company,” the pilot said.
He said short-haul operations were the profit centre of Qantas, yet the airline would not agree to $2m worth of measures to fix pilots’ sick leave and rostering concerns.
An increase in cancellation rates within Qantas was also adding to frustrations, with short-haul pilots turning up to work to find their flights had been scrapped, which meant they were not paid.
More than two-thirds of members (68 per cent) voted down the proposed new short-haul agreement, sending negotiations back to square one.
On Project Sunrise, which is Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce’s plan to operate ultra-long haul flights between the Australian east coast and cities such as New York and London, pilots made it clear they would not fly longer for less.
Mr Joyce has said he wants the same sort of concessions from *pilots as they made for the introduction of Boeing 787-9s, which amounted to a 30 per cent increase in productivity.
The pilot said they now *realised they gave away too much in that deal and would not make the same mistake again.
“We’re not interested in that type of negotiation. Qantas thinks pilots will do anything to get shiny new toys but those concessions have had a long-reaching effect and I’m sure it will be a different vote this time around,” he said.
Qantas International chief executive Tino La Spina said the company was not expecting something for nothing. “These are growth aircraft, not replacement for older ones, so that means a significant increase in pilot numbers,” Mr La Spina said.
“Our estimate is around 400 more. That translates into more command positions, more promotions and ultimately more pay increases.”
AIPA president Mark Sedgwick confirmed that there had been a change in the make-up of the CoM but declined to comment further.
In a recent note to members, Mr Sedgwick said AIPA was comfortable with the possibility Project Sunrise discussions “may or may not lead to an agreement”.
“We believe this would be an unfortunate outcome for the Qantas International business but could represent the reality of operating an airline in a competitive aviation market,” he wrote.
The Qantas Group, including Jetstar, employs more than 3500 pilots, of whom more than 2200 are AIPA members.
A pilot who spoke to The Australianon the condition of anonymity said the “clean-out” was fuelled by concern about the direction the executive was taking with regard to a new short-haul agreement, and Project Sunrise negotiations.