MARK DIGNAN
NZALPA LEGAL OFFICER

Last month it was announced that Kel Duff is now the head of both Air Nelson and Mount Cook. Duff has publicly stated that he is considering the future of the New Zealand regional operation.

As NZALPA has predicted for some time, that while no decisions may have been made, the regional airlines are likely to have a future under one air operator’s certificate (AOC).

This has been the driver behind not only the work initiated by NZALPA and carried out on the Security of Employment (SoE) and Regional Seniority List (RSL), but greater interaction between the respective councils within NZALPA.

With Air Nelson and Mount Cook’s collective agreements about to expire (2 July and 30 June respectively), NZALPA will soon begin bargaining for both pilot groups.

The work of the joint Air Nelson and Mt Cook interest-based problem solving (IBPS) team, which has focused on Security of Employment (SoE) and a Regional Seniority List (RSL), is near completion. This, along with the number of common issues that affect both pilot groups, has led our bargaining teams for Mount Cook and Air Nelson to meet regularly and prepare a common strategy.

The most serious and common concerns identified during these meetings were:

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

With the upcoming bargaining in mind, the combined teams have raised the depth of their concerns on such issues with Duff and the senior pilot managers from Mount Cook and Air Nelson.

The message delivered is that, while both pilot groups are now preparing for bargaining, the opportunity exists for the airlines to work with their pilots on decisions about upcoming changes.  This would ensure the best and most productive outcomes for all parties. It remains the bargaining teams’ top priority to get these issues addressed as soon as possible. 

I look forward to updating you on the progress of these negotiations in future Uplinks.