This update is provided by your Pilot Representatives and distributed by your respective union. Our goal is to ensure you are fully informed about the current state of negotiations and the company’s position on key issues.
Negotiation Meeting – 5th February 2025
By now, you would have seen correspondence from both the unions and the company regarding the last negotiation meeting, held in Sydney on Wednesday 5 February 2025. This meeting was the second, though in practical terms, the first meeting and where we discussed Section 3: Hours of Work.
Mid-meeting, it was clear that the company aimed to slow the process with excessive questions. To test their willingness to improve the agreement, Simon Lutton from the AFAP proposed the following:
“As an act of good faith and while negotiations are continuing EFA undertake not to require any EFA pilot to work on a rostered day off unless they agree. This undertaking will continue until further notice.”
This request was made in response to the widespread and legitimate concern among pilots that the company’s ability to arbitrarily change rostered days off is a clear overreach and inconsistent with both the Award and industry standards.
Company’s Response – 11th February 2025
Last week, on Tuesday 11 February, Richard Hardonin e-mailed Simon Lutton (AFAP), Jane Cleary (AIPA) and Ed Nell (TWU) with the company’s response to this above request. In summary, Richard’s email advised:
- The company is confident that we will one day come to an agreement where pilots will not be required to work on a day off. However, it would likely be subject to operational exceptions such as upline disruptions;
- The ‘chief obstacle’ to agreeing this condition now is the number of claims we (Pilot Representatives and unions) have regarding days off. These claims are:
- “12 DDO’s per roster period”
- “6 x DDO’s per roster period to fall on weekends”
- “A limit of 1 x single DDO per bid period”
- “A DDO to span from 2200 to 0600”
- “Quantum of payment where a pilot agrees to work on a DDO”
- “Rosters to be published 14 days in advance”
- The company will agree to not requiring pilots to work on a day off:
- If we (Pilot Representatives and unions) “substantially narrow their claims in relation to DDO’s”;
- The “maintenance would be dependent on the unions continuing to engage constructively.” A likely attempt to pre-emptively claim any protected industrial action is not constructive and will not be received well; and
- It remains subject to operational exceptions, including “material changes in pilot availability” – a vague clause that leaves room for arbitrary company discretion. It is this discretion that severely impacts the quality of life of both the crew members and their families.
Our Response
The Pilot Representatives replied via the unions (AFAP, AIPA and TWU). A copy of this response is attached – here. In summary our response advises EFA:
- Pilots feel strongly about protecting rostered days off, as the company’s ability to override them is unacceptable;
- The company’s ability to move days off is completely out of keeping with industry standards and the Award;
- We are highly disappointed that, in the early stages of negotiations, the company is attempting to trade fundamental conditions rather than demonstrating good faith;
- We reminded the company of the ‘Akin Claims’ principle in our Statement of Claims (January), which acknowledges that while not every claim can be adopted in full, each has merit and will be assessed collectively in negotiations;
- It is entirely unreasonable for the company to demand the withdrawal of claims at this stage, particularly when we have not even finished presenting our position;
- This is an opportunity for the company to demonstrate good faith—not just in words but in action; and
- Our position is that no claim should be taken as withdrawn until an overall agreement is reached.
Setting the Record Straight
To dispel any doubt, we are holding firm on our initial request. Our position remains open, and our request for an undertaking still stands. The only thing we have rejected is the premature withdrawal of claims before a fair and balanced agreement is reached. More simply put:
- The negotiations have only recently begun (largely due to the company refusing earlier requests to commence bargaining).
- The company has yet to make any meaningful proposals other than the one discussed in this update.
- It is unreasonable to expect us to begin conceding on claims without an overall agreement.
As always, we encourage you to reach out to your Pilot Representative with any concerns. Your support and active engagement are critical as we move forward.
Yours Faithfully,
AFAP, AIPA and TWU Pilot Representatives at EFA