Conference in the Fair Work Commission
Further to our previous update regarding the protected action ballot order made by Commissioner Hampton on 13 March 2026, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has now listed a joint AFAP, TWU and AIPA compulsory conference for 2:00 pm AEDT this Thursday, 19 March 2026, at the FWC in Melbourne. The conference will be conducted by Commissioner Redford. All bargaining representatives will be attending the conciliation conference in person.
In preparation for the conference, Commissioner Redford requested that each bargaining representative prepare and file a short document summarising the current status of the bargaining dispute, including the key issues that remain unresolved, a summary of those issues, and any other information relevant to the dispute. All bargaining representatives have now provided that material to Commissioner Redford so he can familiarise himself with the matter in advance of the conference.
While the AFAP, AIPA and TWU were each required to submit separate summary documents, the unions were aligned in their description of the unresolved issues in bargaining.
From the unions’ perspective, the outstanding issues preventing resolution primarily relate to base salaries and the Company’s proposed changes to the current reassignable provisions. There are also additional matters relating to roster stability and duty travel that the unions will seek to resolve. While these issues are important, they are not determinative of whether a realistic pathway to agreement remains available.
For the assistance of Commissioner Redford, we have outlined the remaining gap between the parties’ respective positions on these two fundamental issues, based on the Revised Joint Union Proposal and Jetstar’s subsequent response. Please refer to AFAP EA Update #30
here for a recap.
The purpose of conciliation is to assist the parties to resolve the issues on which we remain apart and to explore whether there is still a pathway to a negotiated agreement. The Fair Work Commission does not have the power to impose an outcome or force either side to accept a particular position. Rather, the Commissioner’s role is to facilitate discussions, provide an independent perspective on the matters in dispute, and test the strength of each side’s arguments.
The Commission will also often highlight the potential risks of escalation for both parties, as well as the benefits of reaching a negotiated outcome. While it cannot make a binding decision, it may make recommendations about possible ways forward. Those recommendations are not enforceable, but they can carry weight given the Commission’s experience in dealing with bargaining disputes across many industries.
The unions remain committed to participating in this process in a genuine and constructive manner. We will update you on the conference before Commissioner Redford once it has occurred.
Protected Action Ballot
In accordance with the orders made by Commissioner Hampton, the AFAP has now supplied a list of members’ names and associated contact information (email addresses, postal addresses and mobile numbers) to the independent ballot agent, TrueVote, which will be conducting the ballot. Jetstar will not see any of the information that the AFAP provides to the ballot agent.
The precise timetable for the ballot will be communicated directly to pilots by TrueVote. The ballot will be conducted electronically using email, an online voting portal, and SMS reminders. Members will receive a Notice of Ballot email before the ballot opens, followed by a further email containing voting details and a voting link once the ballot has opened. We will also keep you informed of the ballot timetable once it has been finalised.
The ballot will close on 27 March 2026, and any industrial action authorised by the ballot may then be taken if properly notified.
At this stage, the unions are not presently focused on notifying protected industrial action and are instead focused on maximising the opportunity presented by the Fair Work Commission conciliation process to reach a negotiated outcome.
The unions remain committed to pursuing a negotiated outcome and thank members for their continued support.
If you have any questions, your pilot representatives and AFAP industrial officers Deanna Cain, Pat Larkins or Andrew Molnar are available to assist via
jetstar@afap.org.au or call (03) 9928 5737.
Members can also engage constructively with AFAP pilot representatives and industrial staff via the members-only AFAP Telegram forum
here.
Regards,
AFAP Jetstar Negotiating Team
Chris Gibson, Dominic Corcoran, Daniel Blakemore, Ben Bollen, Jake Gainger and Paul Hogan