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

AIR NEW ZEALAND REGIONAL AIRLINES (Mount Cook and Air Nelson) – Advocate Mark Dignan

We continue to bargain with both Link companies, seeking to address the core issues. Both pilot groups have endeavoured to engage in interest-based bargaining processes, with a view to continuing work on a regional seniority list (RSL), enhanced regional Security of Employment (SoE) and shared interests in addressing the potential for a regional collective agreement to cover both Mount Cook and Air Nelson NZALPA pilots.  

MOUNT COOK

Based on the feedback from recent base meetings, the team is confident we are on point regarding the direction in which the negotiations are going.

The Mount Cook team is currently planning its next meeting dates.  

AIR NELSON

We continue to work on the outstanding issues. Progress has slowed, and in some cases stalled. This situation is not assisted by the low completion rate of the interest-based work that was agreed to be undertaken by both parties as a result of the last round of bargaining.

In an effort to move the parties closer to a settlement, as well as unlock the opportunities associated with the work already done regarding the Regional Seniority List and Security of Employment, senior NZALPA representatives (Andrew Ridling, Industrial Director; Tim Robinson, President; and Dawn Handforth, General Manager) are having ongoing dialogue with Air New Zealand’s Bruce Parton, and Phil Doak, as well as Kel Duff.

JETCONNECT – Advocate Mark Dignan

We met with management in mid-August to continue bargaining. Good progress has been made in many areas, and it is starting to become clear what a completed package might look like. The airline’s cost-neutral position has meant that it is a balancing act to achieve improvements on what the current collective agreement has now, and not eroding important protections.

Since commencing negotiations, the Jetconnect team’s focus has been on driving significant and meaningful improvement in pilot rostered days off (RDOs) provisions, as well as improvements in the definitions of a day. The company is maintaining the need for the Qantas group 18-month pay freeze, as well as restrictions on increased costs. Obviously, this has made it difficult to achieve some interests that members see as important involving the inequalities between the Jetconnect collective agreement, and that of Qantas subsidiary, Jetstar NZ, and other comparable operators.

Although there is still a little way to go, we remain hopeful a settlement is not too far away.

The team is also working through the unresolved rest and meal breaks issue. NZALPA does not believe Jetconnect is meeting its meal and rest break obligations under New Zealand legislation. The issue will be raised again at the next meeting, and if we cannot make any progress beyond this point, we will address the issue via compliance proceedings.