Oxymoron - before you attend any interview, you may want to contact NZALPA and find out what is really going on .....
Notice released from NZALPA to pilots :
Breach of the Employment Relations Act?
On Wednesday 29 April, NZALPA lodged proceedings in the Employment Relations Authority claiming that the QANTAS Group's decision to close its Christchurch Jetconnect base has breached statutory obligations under the Employment Relations Act 2000 and has also breached contractual obligations under the Jetconnect Collective Employment Agreement. Included in the proceedings is an application to stop the closure of the Christchurch base until the Authority can determine whether the breaches claimed did occur. NZALPA, having unsuccessfully tried to negotiate a sensible arrangement with Jetconnect/Jetstar since the February 17 announcement of Jetstar NZ commencing domestic operations in New Zealand and the Christchurch base closure for Jet connect pilots, has reluctantly been compelled to commence these proceedings.
Remedies we seek include;
· An injunction restraining Jetconnect from closing its Christchurch base
· A determination that Jetconnect has breached its good faith obligations by failing to consult with NZALPA and NZALPA's affected pilot members over the closure of its Christchurch base (and consequent transfer of that base to Auckland), and/or the change from domestic (New Zealand) operations to trans-Tasman operations.
· A determination that Jetconnect, being in breach of both its pilots Collective Employment Agreement (CEA) and also the Employment Relations Act (ERA) is liable to penalties.
· A determination that QANTAS and Jetstar NZ has incited, instigated, aided or abetted Jetconnect's breach or breaches of the Act and the Jet Connect pilots CEA and is accordingly liable to a penalties.
NZALPA's Principal Officers, Industrial Sub-Committee, Jetconnect Pilots Council and Board of Management made the decision to commence these proceedings because Jetconnect could/would not consider sensible solutions proposed by NZALPA as QANTAS had made the decision and it was out of Jetconnect's hands.
What is going on?
· QANTAS has determined to transfer its New Zealand domestic flying from Jetconnect to Jetstar.
· Our Jetconnect members are only able to apply for positions in Jetstar NZ in the same manner as any other applicant.
· Members, currently based in Christchurch, are being required to either move or commute at their own cost (after 90 days) while newly employed Jetstar NZ pilot's takeover their work in Christchurch.
· Jetconnect (QANTAS) have advised that should any member not accept the option of transfer or commute at their own cost, then "such a person's employment would end in due course, in accordance with the CEA"
· We have written to the Jetstar NZ representatives and Jetconnect in an attempt to encourage them to deal meaningfully with this issue - their replies indicate to us that the decision to restructure the New Zealand operations has been made by QANTAS in Australia and that this decision and its implications for staff was beyond their control.
· Jetstar NZ is offering individual employment agreements with terms and conditions below the industry standard.
· Given the National Party's pre election campaign included an interest in pay parity with Australia, we have separately written to the Prime Minister to appraise him of our concerns.
· NZALPA believes that the domestic flying planned to be carried out by Jetstar NZ is the work of our Jetconnect members and that Jetstar NZ is taking advantage of New Zealand Employment laws and aviation legislation to establish an operation in New Zealand offering less than industry standard pilot employment conditions to the detriment of New Zealand and Australian pilots.
· Our members face uncertainty as the QANTAS Group position themselves to take best advantage of New Zealand's open skies policies and the advantages they can secure in operating out of a base in New Zealand by offering greenfields Individual Employment Agreements.
NZALPA is opposed to this move by QANTAS to transfer the work of its employees. They have determined to disregard the provisions of both the Employment Relations Act and the Jetconnect pilots Collective Employment Agreement while at the same time introduce an Individual Employment Agreement containing sub standard terms and conditions of employment.
NZALPA will do everything in its power to constructively address this attack on our Jetconnect members and employment conditions in New Zealand.
I recommend you find out all the facts before you commit yourself (and put one of the guys at JetConnect - who probably has a family as well - out of a job).