PIA FAQs – Clarifying the Four Protected Industrial Actions
In response to a variety of enquiries from members at Express Freighters Australia (EFA) we have decided to distribute the following FAQs in relation to the four PIA actions currently in place at EFA.
PIA 1 – A ban on working on the following days as scheduled in the pilots’ initially published roster:
- rostered days off
- non-work days for part-time employees
- annual leave days
- long service leave days
Q1. Can the company change my days off after the roster is initially published?
No. Under this PIA, you are protected from any changes to your originally rostered days off. You are not required to accept any variation, including covering sick leave, training, or operational requirements of any kind. The lead time of the notification is irrelevant as is the incumbent 48-hour rule. No changes to originally rostered DO’s need to be accepted under any circumstances.
Q2. What if the company offers me a payment to work on a day off?
We suggest that you decline. This PIA prohibits any work on originally rostered days off, regardless of the incentive.
Q3. I’m on annual leave — can the company allocate training or request I return early?
No. Annual leave, as published in the original roster, is fully protected. You are not required to accept any duties, including training or meetings, during this period.
Q4. What if I'm a part-time pilot and they try to use me on a non-work day?
Non-work days for part-time pilots are protected under this PIA. You are under no obligation to accept duties or changes to these days.
PIA 2 – A ban on being contactable by EFA unless on a rostered duty or during a reserve period.
Q1. Do I need to answer the phone or respond to texts outside of duty or reserve?
No. You are under no obligation to answer phone calls, respond to texts, or engage in any form of communication with the company outside of your rostered duty or reserve periods.
Q2. What about checking emails or confirming changes in WebCIS?
You are not required to read, acknowledge, or respond to any communication (email, text, portal updates) unless you are on duty or within a designated reserve period.
Q3. Can the company hold a claim against me for not responding?
No. You are exercising a legally protected industrial action. This is not misconduct or insubordination. You cannot be disciplined for participating in a protected industrial action.
Q4. What if I see a roster change notification come through during a reserve period for a duty change on another day?
As you are within a contactable period, you should respond to all roster changes that have been advised by a call, email or text while on a rostered duty or reserve period.
PIA 3 – A ban on signing on within 120 minutes of being called in off a reserve period.
Q1. I’ve been called in with less than 120 minutes’ notice — do I have to go?
No. This PIA prohibits you from signing on within 120 minutes of being called in. If the company contacts you at 0800 for a 0915 sign-on, you are not required to sign-on until 1000hrs and should advise the company that this is when you will sign-on.
Q2. What if I’m willing and available — can I voluntarily sign on early?
No. We request that members do not sign on before 120 minutes. Signing on before 120 minutes is not in line with the PIA in place. To be effective, PIA requires pilots act consistently. Voluntarily accepting early call-ins undermines the industrial action and could weaken collective outcomes.
Q3. What if the company claims it’s “operationally critical”?
No. The company may use various tactics to encourage you to sign on early. The 120-minute rule applies regardless of operational urgency. We request that all members comply with the terms of the protected action.
PIA 4 – A ban on reporting and/or performing any work duties before the scheduled sign-on time for a duty.
Q1. Can I attend the airport or aircraft briefing area early?
We request that you not perform any duties, including reporting, reviewing of the flight plan and associated data packs, before your rostered sign-on time.
Q2. Can I complete admin tasks or open the EFB before sign-on?
No. We request that you not complete any work duties (including EFB updates or checking dispatch) until your official sign-on time.
Q3. Can the company discipline me for arriving “just in time”?
No. So long as you are compliant with the official sign-on time, you are within your rights. You are not required to arrive or act early under this PIA.
Q4. Should I rush to ensure the flight departs on time?
No. You should take as long as you need to perform pre-departure duties safely. Please carry out duties at your usual safe cadence.
We trust that the above FAQs clarify the current PIA actions in place at EFA.
Thank you again for your ongoing support as we work to achieve a fair and reasonable agreement at EFA.
Our next bargaining meeting with EFA is scheduled for next week (Tuesday 22 July 2025 in Sydney) and we will continue to update you on developments.
If you have any questions on the above, please contact us directly or Simon Lutton at the AFAP on mobile: 0419 482 582 or email simon@afap.org.au.
Yours sincerely
Susha Semenikow and Dean McMahon
AFAP EFA Pilot Representatives