Long-haul pilots want improvements to work-life balance and higher pay
Long-haul pilots at Australian flag-carrier Qantas will vote on industrial action for the first time in 15 years following the Fair Work Commission's approval of its protected-action ballot, according to The Australian.
The pilots will vote on a range of industrial action options, such as work bans, delays to signing on for duty, as well as 24-hour strikes.
Voting will begin on 27 July, The Australian reported.
The vote comes after two years of negotiations between Qantas and the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) and the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP).
"Long-haul pilots do not take protected industrial action lightly. The last time we were forced to take action was under Alan Joyce 15 years ago, and before that it was 1966," said AIPA president Andrew Marshall, as quoted by The Australian.
"The changes we are seeking are modest and reasonable, including rostering improvements to protect pilots' health and wellbeing."
Pilots' demands
According to the report, long-haul pilots are asking for three "golden" leave days every two months when they could not be called up for duty, as well as more notice for next-day call-outs.
Pilots are also asking for a slightly higher annual pay rise than the three per cent being offered by Qantas.
Cam Wallace, Qantas International chief executive, expressed disappointment over the union's protected-action ballot.
"We've offered pilots significant pay increases as well as long sought after changes to conditions, but there is a limit to what we can afford before it impacts our ability to offer competitive fares," Wallace said as quoted by The Australian.
He said Qantas will return to the FWC on Friday to find a resolution, stressing the airline's commitment to reaching an agreement with the pilots.
Rejection in April
The long-haul agreement covers about 1,700 pilots who fly Qantas' wide-body fleet, including the Airbus 330, Airbus 380, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which fly the airline's international routes.
In April, the pilots rejected Qantas' proposed enterprise agreement saying its offer "does not meet the standard they expect and deserve."
Simon Lutton, executive director of AFAP, said Qantas' proposed pay increases were unlikely to keep pace with projected inflation.
"The increases on offer are unlikely to match inflation over the life of the agreement, which means pilots would go backwards in real terms while continuing to face rising living costs," Lutton said in April.
