From another forum
Today, in a unanimous decision, the Full Bench of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission awarded the Australian and International Pilots Association constitutional coverage of all airline pilots employed in the Qantas Group. The Full Bench was constituted by SDP Acton, DP Ives and Commissioner Blair and consented to the alteration of the eligibility rules of AIPA by inserting the following new paragraph:
“Without in any way limiting the generality of any other provision of this rule or being limited thereby, all persons who are normally employed as pilots on airline services within or extending beyond the Commonwealth of Australia operated in whole or part and under any name by any of:
(i) Qantas Airways Limited ABN 16 009 661 901;
(ii) Qantas Limited ABN 73 003 613 465;
(iii) Australian Airlines Limited ABN 85 099 625 304;
(iv) Jetstar Airways Pty Limited ABN 33 069 720 243;
(v) Eastern Australia Airlines Pty Limited ABN 77 001 599 024; or
(vi) Sunstate Airlines (Qld) Pty Limited ABN 82 009 734 703
shall be eligible for membership in the Organisation (AIPA).”
Affirming an earlier decision of SDP Kaufman which had been appealed by Qantas and the Australian Federation of Air Pilots, the Full Bench extended AIPA’s coverage to Jetstar and the Qantas Regional airlines. The alteration will come into effect on 2 January 2008.
Up until now AIPA’s coverage was predominantly Qantas long haul and short haul pilots and did not include Jetstar, Eastern and Sunstate.
AIPA Solicitor Tony Macken of A. J. Macken & Co., said the decision modernised the industrial coverage of Australian airline pilots - the legal position has now caught up with the industrial reality. AIPA is in a position to provide coverage and representation for all Qantas Group pilots. The Full Bench decision varied the decision of SDP Kaufman in minor respects but substantially reaffirmed its core findings.