Alliance Group
Latest Bargaining News
In the AFAP''s last Update on Tuesday (10/12), we indicated to you and all Members employed anywhere throughout Australia for the Alliance Group, that AFAP representatives (along with those from the TWU) would be participating in a further round of conciliation conferences this week at the Fair Work Commission. Those conciliation conferences were scheduled to take place in Brisbane on:
- Wednesday (11/12) & Thursday 12/12 – concerning the Queensland EA;
- Today (13/12) – concerning the South Australian EA.
That schedule was problematic, right from the start.. What has been evident to many Pilots, as well as the AFAP, for many years is the recurring tactic of the Alliance Group to “divide and conquer” employee groups, particularly when enterprise agreement (EA) bargaining is occurring.
By “splitting’’ the relevant Pilot group into various smaller groups, Alliance Group management has been very successful over many years now, in their efforts to thwart what are long overdue improvements to their various Pilot EAs.
This time around, in the various negotiations, the AFAP has repeatedly raised the need with the Alliance Group to substantially improve and update the quality of their various Pilot EAs. We have argued that point now for over 18 months in Queensland, 12 months in Adelaide, and going on 6 months in Perth. Despite the fact that their various Pilot EAs are clearly no longer up to industry standard (if they ever really were), Alliance management have been only too willing to delay any agreement on better salary rates, and improvements to a wide assortment of employment conditions.
The AFAP, after surveying a wide number of members in the early stages of each of the current EA negotiations, understood that a majority of members wanted to see significant improvements in salary and other conditions included in any new EAs. On consideration of that issue, the AFAP came to the realisation that even though a vast majority of members wanted to achieve substantial improvements in salary rates and other conditions, that outcome was not likely to be readily achieved, should the AFAP (on behalf of all members) continue to bargain for new EAs, on a State by State basis. Rather, it was clear to the AFAP that the quickest and most effective way to achieve substantial, and lasting change, to the terms and conditions of all Pilots within the Alliance Group, was via the introduction of a single EA.
Negotiating a single EA would have a multitude of advantages, including:
- A far simpler initial negotiation process;
- A far simpler re-negotiation process;
- A significant reduction in the time spent negotiating particular items, with any issue dealt with just once in the bargaining process, rather than have the same issue argued on in 3 or 4 different negotiation processes;
- The simple benefit in negotiations, gained as a result of the increased size of the Pilot group, with its inherent and positive impact on the conduct of Alliance Group management during the bargaining process overall; and,
- The difficulty for the Alliance Group to apply unwarranted pressure on individual Pilots during any and each EA process, given the increased size overall of the affected Pilot group.
The old adage is certainly true – there is strength in numbers, particularly in EA negotiations!
In recent days, a handful of members have reached out to the AFAP, questioning why the AFAP continues to push for a single national EA. Hopefully, the explanation (above) answers that question. Unfortunately, with everything that has occurred in recent days around the bargaining with the Alliance Group, the AFAP has not been able to follow up on all the member comments that we have received. We will try to rectify that in coming days,
‘In-Principle’ Agreement - TWU
Late this afternoon, the AFAP was made aware that the TWU had announced it had reached “ïn-principle” agreement with the Alliance Group, in relation to two proposed Pilots EAs – a new Queensland EA, and a new Adelaide EA. We commend the TWU for any positive changes that they have been able to secure from the Alliance Group.
Based on that development, the AFAP subsequently sighted a copy of a separate Alliance Group management update, confirming that the Alliance Group is intent on rushing through a vote on these new EA versions ASAP.
Unfortunately, the AFAP has been provided no specific details by the Alliance Group as yet, about this important and unexpected development. Obviously though, we will be seeking information from the Alliance Group as soon as possible, with specific detail around all major changes that are made to each of the current EA documents.
We are aware that, in the past fortnight, Alliance Group management has also seen fit to suddenly improve their salary offer, and their position on the number of RDOs in each roster period, despite claiming to the AFAP and TWU for the past 12 months or more, that they could not afford to adopt any such improvements.
The AFAP will also be very keen to determine how the new versions of these two draft EAs align with other EAs in the industry. With over eighty aircraft in their fleet now, the Alliance Group is no longer a small operator. By flying a significant chunk of Qantas services, whilst at the same time continuing to cater for various contracts in the mining industry, the Alliance Group has been a very successful operation, with the happy knack of reporting improved profits in recent years.
Protected Industrial Action
To clarify for all members, although there may be new offers from the Alliance Group in relation to a new Queensland EA, and a separate South Australian EA, the results of the separate PIA ballots already conducted in both Queensland and South Australia, still remain in force.
As for Perth Pilots, your PIA ballot opened yesterday.
If any Perth-based Pilot did not receive an email yesterday from the independent ballot company (TrueVote), providing instructions on how to vote in the electronic ballot, please contact the AFAP as soon as possible.
In the PIA ballot, the AFAP encourages all members to vote YES to all twelve (12) proposed PIA actions. Voting YES does not automatically require you to undertake that particular form of PIA, but unless overall more than 50% of voters support each form of PIA, then that particular form of PIA can not legally be taken by any AFAP member (even if they want to).
Protected Industrial Action (Perth) – Compulsory Conciliation Conference
The mandatory conciliation conference that must be conducted by the Fair Work Commission under s448A of the FW Act 2009, in relation to the proposed Perth PIA, has been scheduled for next Tuesday (17/12).
Although the equivalent Conference did not achieve a successful outcome in relation to either the proposed Queensland EA or the proposed Adelaide EA, the AFAP and its Pilot Representatives will be participating in the videoconference on Tuesday.
Finally, if any AFAP member at the Alliance Group has any questions about this Update, please contact AFAP Senior Industrial Officer James Mattner (at james@afap.org.au).