Australian Federation of Air Pilots representing striking WA FIFO pilots push back on Qantas town hall meeting

The union representing Network Aviation pilots has hit back at a planned meeting with Qantas management, claiming the town hall assembly will not address the systemic issues of the ongoing pay dispute. In an email sent to members, the Australian Federation of Air Pilots has outlined the planned meeting between QantasLink chief executive Rachel Yangoyan and the striking pilots on Monday will fail to meet the needs of the issue and warned it could leave pilots open to retribution from local management. AFAP pilots working for Qantas’ WA subsidiary, which conducts intrastate and charter flying for the resources sector, are threatening more strikes over the protracted negotiations surrounding a new enterprise agreement that has gone on for 18 months. Ongoing strike action by the pilots has impacted WA’s resource sector due to the reliance companies have on the airline to get workers flown to site on time. Qantas has been placing contingency plans to limit the disruption from the current six-day strike action. The union claims local management has been included in the planned discussions, however, pilots were asking for a direct conversation with the CEO. “Network members had hoped for a fresh approach, but this offer is not that,” AFAP said. “We hope that the CEO understands why only a direct interaction with pilots without local management will provide Network pilots with the confidence in which to air fears, concerns and aspirations without fear of retribution and consequently the offer remains open for the CEO to meet the AFAP membership on those terms.” Network Aviation pilots have asked for the same benefits offered to other pilots in the Qantas group. Qantas claims the terms and conditions asked by the pilots are an overreach due to the different nature of flying compared to other subsidiaries it operates. The airline has offered the pilots a 25 per cent increase in pay, plus a 3 per cent yearly rise and better roster protections. Pilots have voted down the proposed agreement three times. Qantas has sought an application with the Fair Work Commission for intractable bargaining to get through the impasse with the pilots. “We have not walked away from negotiations,” Network Aviation chief operating officer Trevor Worgan said. “Given the impasse, we were left with no other choice but to ask the Fair Work Commission to arbitrate to bring this to a close.”