Current and ongoing negotiations involving NZALPA are detailed below.  For any queries related to negotiations, please email [email protected]

Mount Cook

The NZALPA Mount Cook negotiation team met with Mount Cook Airlines representatives on 11-12 May to sign the Bargaining Process Agreement (BPA) and, at the time of writing, is preparing for the next bargaining meetings in late May.

Both parties tabled and explained their list of interests with a view of accelerated bargaining to address the core issues (as outlined below) along with longer-term negotiations to address the regional security of employment, the Regional Seniority List (RSL) and a regional Collective Agreement (CA).

The most serious and common concerns are:

• time away from home base (TAFB)
• rest periods and time off at home
• limits on overnights
• accommodation
• remuneration and allowance issues.

Air Nelson

The NZALPA Air Nelson negotiation team met with Air Nelson representatives on 8 May to sign the BPA and, at time of writing, was preparing for the next bargaining meetings in late May.

Similar to the process outlined for Mount Cook Airlines, both parties tabled and explained their list of interests with a view of accelerated bargaining to address the core issues (as listed above) and longer-term negotiations to address the regional security of employment, the Regional Seniority List (RSL) and a regional Collective Agreement (CA).

Jetconnect

Jetconnect last met on 7 April and, due to a period with many participants on annual leave and roster clashes, will not meet again until the 16 June and 21-23 June.

Due to the Jetconnect pilots being in a ‘pay freeze’ there is currently no slippage issues. 

Both NZALPA and Jetconnect have been focusing on improved days off and greater certainty around those. The parties have also put a lot of effort into identifying and considering a range of acceptable changes to work rules and other conditions, which allow such improvements in the pilots’ interests while seeking to meet Jetconnect’s interest in keeping changes as cost neutral as possible. The parties have made considerable progress on this.    

The roster allocation and operational use of late reserve duties continues to be challenging, in particular for cases when such a duty occurs prior to days off and/or annual leave. It is acknowledged that NZALPA’s interests represent a significant step change from where Jetconnect is currently operating and NZALPA’s focus is to ensure that the negotiated benefits go back to members while being mindful of Jetconnect and its need to maintain its operation.

Further meetings are booked throughout June, July and August, it is hoped that an agreement can be finalised for ratification before all these future meetings are required.

Virgin Australia New Zealand (VANZ) 

The NZALPA team is pleased to say that bargaining is progressing.  We are currently having three to six day meetings per month, with many of the issues we have put forward being actively considered. 

It seems most likely that the work/life balance issues are going to be addressed by increasing days off and annual leave.

Jetstar

NZALPA’s regional negotiations with Jetstar are progressing very slowly, with its negotiators having little authority to respond to NZALPA without consultation with the Head Office in Australia. 

There are difficulties being experienced in maintaining an NZALPA Jetstar bargaining team due to the high pilot turnover, caused, in part, by the poor Individual Employment Agreements (IEAs) on which the pilots are currently employed.

CTC Aviation

The CTC Council and NZALPA staff have been preparing for negotiations on an inaugural Collective Employment Agreement (CEA).  A recent meeting (May 17) with the employer has confirmed that the negotiation will progress to bargaining. Updates will follow.