Xenophon Press Release
XENOPHON TO FIGHT JETSTAR CONTRACTS THAT IMPOSE 'HOME DETENTION'
AIRLINE "TREATS PILOTS LIKE LINDSAY LOHAN"
Independent Senator for South Australia, Nick Xenophon, has described changes being made to contracts of new Jetstar pilots, which require them to be on call in their home city, even on days off, "as absurd and unacceptable".
"This is a disgraceful intrusion into the private lives of pilots and their families," Nick said.
Senator Xenophon, who earlier this year initiated a Senate Inquiry into pilot training and airline safety said: "If this clause is allowed to stand, pilots will not be able to travel with their families on their rostered days off without the express permission of the airline."
Under Clause 6 of the contracts being offered to new Jetstar cadets, it is a condition of employment that employees "reside in (their) Home Base for the term of their employment or ensure (they) are available for contact in (their) Home Base except on leave or when (they) are cleared to leave (their) Home Base on days off by crew scheduling".
"In other words, pilots have to check with the airline what they can do on their days off," Nick said.
"These changes virtually put pilots in home detention," Nick said. "Jetstar should not be treating pilots like they're Lindsay Lohan."
In recent days, more than 340 Jetstar pilots emailed group Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan arguing the contracts were deficient and could pose a risk to the flying public.
As well as slashing a range of entitlements, the contracts will see cadets saddled with a training debt to the company of up to $150,000, while they are earning as little as $34,000 a year.
"I don't want the pilot of the plane I'm flying sitting in the cockpit at 30,000 feet worrying about how he's going to pay back the boss," Nick said. "I want pilots to be totally focussed on keeping the plane in the air."
Senator Xenophon has been inundated will emails and phone calls from concerned pilots and will be referring the new Jetstar contracts to the current Senate Inquiry into pilot training and airline safety, as well as the Senate Education Employment and Workplace Relations Committee.