AFAP Qantas Pilot Council Briefing No.10
Happy Friday everyone!
It has been a few weeks since our last update and quite a bit has occurred in the interim. As everyone would be aware, Qantas posted a large half-yearly profit. The profit announcement contained another share buy-back of $400 million. This is against a backdrop of under-resourced engineering and spares, many aircraft carrying record numbers of defects, premium cabins reportedly often under-catered, broken seats and an ageing fleet. The profit, in combination with the Network stalemate, suggests the combative IR approach from previous management is persisting. Many members have expressed disappoint as they hoped the relationship would be more engaging, positive and productive with a change of senior executive management. The SHEA and LHEA negotiations will be a good litmus test on this front.
We continue to see significant membership growth, often in the form of dual-membership. The payroll deduction facility has still not been resolved with the company. Please remember, membership fees do not start until this is resolved. It is interesting to note that the delay in the payroll deduction facility by the company has spurred an increase in dual members.
SHEA
Last week the AFAP had a SHEA meeting with the company’s SHEA team. We presented our log of claims. The AFAP ‘log of claims’ approach has been welcomed by the company as it provides clarity about the SH pilots’ priorities. It is hoped progress is made more effectively with a log of claims than when dealing in vague concepts.
The AFAP outlined that our survey results demonstrated SH pilots want a better work-life balance, more efficient rostering, more consistency in the hours they work and will not accept pay conditions that have them go backwards against the inflation we have experienced in the last two years. The AFAP SHEA log of claims as presented to the company will be provided in a separate brief to members to be released shortly.
Recently, the company has had difficulties filling 737 FO vacancies and has resorted to filling these vacant FO positions by using questionable methods. The AFAP has reviewed new hire contracts which include the following clause:
In accepting employment I confirm that immediately upon commencing employment I am bidding for a vacancy as a First Officer B737 in Sydney and that the Company may rely on this document as formally recording this bid and then awarding me such a vacancy. I also acknowledge and accept that the Company in offering me employment as a Second Officer Under Training (SOT) has done so on the basis that I will submit this bid for the B737 and that should I seek to withdraw this bid it will be open to the Company to withdraw the offer of employment or, should I have already commenced employment, terminate my employment.
The AFAP raised with Qantas why it was adopting this approach, and its response was that these pilots had volunteered pre-employment to take a B737 position and in their view they are legally able to employ direct entry 737 FOs after internal Qantas pilots had first opportunity for these roles.
The AFAP also raised the issue of scope between the Short Haul and Long Haul EAs, as the Company employ the B737 pilots under the Long Haul agreement until check to line. This means a pilot is line training on the B737 but the B737 work rules in the Short Haul EA do not apply.
We believe a lot can be done by the company to ensure SH pilots have sustainable, healthy, adequate and globally competitive working conditions that would mean these type of work arounds are unnecessary. The QPC believes that the changes we have put forward in our log of claims (derived from the survey results) would alleviate the pilot supply issues in SH.
LHEA
We have shortlisted our LH EA advisory team. Thank you to all who volunteered their time to be on this team. We have had many experienced members volunteer; including multiple members with law degrees and substantial drafting and negotiation experience. Our LH EA advisory team will work hand in glove with the AFAP negotiating team. The AFAP negotiating team consists of experienced AFAP lawyers and professional negotiators.
The LH survey will be released in due course. Regarding the survey, we have aimed to cover as many relevant points as possible so that we have the most accurate data when compiling our LHEA log of claims.
Network PIA
Network announced another vote on an EA offer (identical to the last voted down offer) this week. This tactic appears to be similar to what was done when dealing with Qantas cabin crew in their last EA negotiations. On face value, it appears as though the hope is that the resolve of the Network pilots would have been weakened through the financial burden of PIA, and the previously agreed to conditions being removed then offered again.
As mentioned in previous briefs, the overwhelming majority of Network pilots voted down the offer and voted in favour of PIA.
It has been heartening to see industry-wide support of the Network pilots through financial donations. All of the QPC have personally donated to the Network pilots. Financial donations aim to help alleviate the financial burden for pilots engaged in PIA, ensuring that they can sustain themselves during industrial action. If you wish to make a donation, the link is:
https://gofund.me/ab3b2740
For any general inquiries regarding this update or other matters at Qantas please contact the AFAP legal and industrial team of Senior Legal/ Industrial Officer Pat Larkins (
patrick@afap.org.au), Senior Industrial Officer Chris Aikens (
chris@afap.org.au), or Executive Director Simon Lutton (
simon@afap.org.au).
Regards,
AFAP Qantas Pilot Council
Michael Egan - Chair
Mark Gilmour - Vice- Chair
Daniel Kobeleff - Secretary
Michael Armessen - Committee Member