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

Jetstar Regional – Advocate Adam Nicholson

Negotiations for the first collective agreement (CA) have been proceeding since February 2017, initially on one day per roster but this has increased to two days per roster since July this year.

In August, NZALPA lost the entire pilot negotiating team as staff turnover in the company had reached the point where all of the negotiators (both Captains and First Officers) had applied for, and been appointed to, jobs elsewhere, largely with the company’s competitors.

The new team has now spent four days in negotiations with the company, which has denied there are any recruitment or retention issues.

While 75-80 percent of the new CA is drafted and agreed in principle, some important issues remain outstanding, these include:

• Notice periods. The company seeks two months’ notice of termination.
• Redundancy criteria. The company refuses to agree to ‘last on, first off’.
• Full advice of the contents of adverse reports against pilots in disciplinary proceedings.
• Protection of the contents of air data and cockpit voice recorders.
• Hours of work and whether they are included in the CEA or in a separate company document.
• Rostering and day of operations rules.
• Base pay rates and overtime provisions.
• Compensation for non-observance of the minimum standards rest and meal-break legislation.
•  Meal allowances.

 Agreement is close to being reached on about half of these issues, but significant work will be required to reach a settlement on the others.

Air New Zealand Regional Airlines (Mount Cook and Air Nelson) – Advocate Mark Dignan

We have reached agreement on new CA terms of settlement for both Air New Zealand regional airlines.

 NZALPA believes the new agreements will provide Air New Zealand regional airlines with a pathway to both enhanced security of employment and improved terms and conditions for pilots, while also allowing pilots and management to more effectively work together and unlock greater operational efficiencies.

 Improvements in the CA for both groups and greater equity between regional pilots has been achieved (subject to ratification by the parties), along with important strategic commitments to security of employment, including the introduction of a single regional seniority list for the Air New Zealand regional airlines, in addition to the existing seniority lists in each CA.

 Once ratification occurs, work will immediately commence to bring the two airlines closer together under a single CA, and work continues to improve regional pilots’ terms and conditions of employment.

 It has taken some ground-breaking work within the Air New Zealand regional airlines over a long period of time to get to this stage, and is the culmination of a strategy first mooted by NZALPA many years ago.

 The work involved has been complex and difficult, and the commitment and effort of both teams to get to this point has been a privilege to be a part of. The work of Andrew Ridling (Industrial Director), Dawn Handforth (General Manager) and Tim Robinson (President) in helping to reach agreement is also gratefully acknowledged.

Jetconnect – Advocate Mark Dignan

 While some good progress has been made, the parties remain far apart on key issues. A significant barrier to reaching agreement involves compliance with the minimum standards meal and rest break legislation.

 Jetconnect is also proposing a new Year One (only) Junior First Officer pay rate, and a clause that removes entitlement to a lieu day for any pilot rostered a reserve duty on a public holiday.

 Although some good progress has been made on important issues, we are still far from agreement.