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Qantas pilots vote to take industrial action in historic ballot

Qantas pilots have, for the first time since 1966, voted to take protected industrial action in pursuit of a Qantas flight/Qantas pilot clause in the new enterprise agreement.

89% of pilots eligible voted in the ballot, with 94% voting to take protected industrial action as a means of applying pressure to management to come to the table and negotiate on how to achieve the clause.

Australian and International Pilots Association President Barry Jackson said pilots will now decide on what form of Protected Industrial Action they will take.
“Qantas pilots dedicate their careers to looking after Qantas passengers, so naturally we will be doing everything possible to minimise disruption to travellers and focus the pressure on management,” Captain Jackson said.

“However, the historic nature of this vote proves just how critical a point we have reached. We believe and the public believes that when you board a Qantas flight you are entitled to a Qantas pilot in the cockpit.

“That’s part of the deal when you fly Qantas. You expect the world-leading safety culture of Australian Qantas pilots. “Yet we now have a CEO who believes you can substitute Australian Qantas pilots with outsourced and offshore alternatives without doing damage to the brand. He’s dead wrong.

“The key point of differentiation Qantas has as a brand is its Australian safety culture, built over 90 years.

“That’s what this dispute is all about. Qantas pilots want to continue operating Qantas flights, but they know management has plans to shift Qantas operations to Asia and start mass outsourcing.

“As a result, AIPA is insisting on a Qantas flight/Qantas pilot clause in the new enterprise agreement. Our members need to know that if a Qantas flight is operating, then there will be a Qantas pilot at the controls.

“It’s important for Qantas pilots, but it’s also important for Qantas passengers. We understand that the company needs to adapt and evolve to stay profitable, but outsourcing the jobs of impeccably-trained and experienced Australian pilots isn’t a smart way to do it.

“Qantas pilots remain fully willing to negotiate on what needs to be done to achieve a Qantas flight/Qantas pilot clause, and we urge management to come to the table and talk about how we can work together to take this great airline forward.”

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Qantas pilots have agreed to take industrial action for the first time in 45 years.
A ballot for protected action was sent to long-haul pilots a couple of weeks ago and today the result has come back with a big yes.
With three-quarters of the pilots' votes counted by the Australian Electoral Commission, 94 per cent have responded in favour of taking action.
After months of negotiations pilots are angry the airline's management have failed to guarantee that Qantas flights will always be crewed by Qantas pilots.
The pilots are promising an industrial campaign including work to rule and potentially strike action.
Barry Jackson, from the pilots' union, says Qantas management is determined to move its international operations offshore.
"Qantas pilots feel very strongly about where the airline is at the moment," he said before the vote was taken.
"Qantas pilots have been very honest and honourable in their intent, certainly [in] their operation of the airline, and for them to be fired up as they are, I think the result will be a fairly strong one."
Qantas says the union is demanding pay increases and free flights on top of already heavily discounted airfares.

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There's no-one I'd rather have at the controls, than a Qantas pilot

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QANTAS long-haul pilots are next week set to take their first industrial action in more than four decades after overwhelmingly backing options that include 48-hour rolling stoppages.

Ninety-four per cent of pilots taking part in the ballot voted in favour of taking protected industrial action.

Officials said the vote sent a message to management about the level of pilot support for the pilots association's job security claims.

Australian and International Pilots Association vice-president Richard Woodward would not reveal what action the union was planning, but said it would be obvious to passengers and the union would attempt to minimise disruptions.

"We can't promise that, of course, because other unions are upset with company as well," he said. "But the stuff we initiate, certainly in the initial phases, we'll do our very best to minimise any disruptions to passengers."


Related Coverage
Qantas pilots in offshore strikes Courier Mail, 7 hours ago
Pilot storm looms for Qantas, travellers Courier Mail, 7 hours ago
Qantas pilots demand more security The Daily Telegraph, 7 hours ago
Qantas puts cost of pay claim at $317m The Australian, 26 May 2011
Pilots confident over strike ballot The Australian, 25 May 2011

Asked whether a 48-hour stoppage was a possibility, he said the union had to exercise the option within 30 days. "That could be two pilots taking five minutes' stop-work action or it could be the entire pilot body stopping for 48 hours, or anything in between."

Captain Woodward said the union was willing to defer action and seek an extension from Fair Work Australia if Qantas management was willing to enter meaningful negotiations.

Talks have stalled over pay claims and a job security clause that stipulates Qantas-coded flights be flown by Qantas pilots.

Captain Woodward said the pilots had offered an 11 per cent increase in flying hours and rostering efficiencies that would let an already significant pilot surplus almost double.

He said the pilots wanted to see the surplus absorbed into other parts of the group and criticised a company move to let surplus pilots take leave without pay to work for Emirates.

Qantas said it was disappointed by the threat and was prepared to negotiate reasonable increases in pay and conditions, but the demands from the union were " excessive and unsustainable".

"The pilots' union is demanding pay increases, free flights on top of already heavily discounted airfares and a requirement that pilots on all Qantas airlines, including Jetstar, are paid the same high rates as Qantas pilots," it said. "Paying Qantas rates to pilots for our low-cost carrier Jetstar would drive up ticket prices, make Jetstar unprofitable and set precedents for other staff salaries."

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