Narrowbody crew still striking on 8 December
Some cabin crew members of Air New Zealand have withdrawn their planned strike action on 8 December after reaching agreements "in principle" with the airline.
Air NZ chief people officer Nikki Dines said they have reached agreements with the two unions representing their regional turboprop and widebody cabin crew.
"This is a positive step for our people. Bargaining at this scale inevitably creates pressure and uncertainty, and we acknowledge the impact this period has had across our cabin crew and wider operation," Dines told HRD.
"We appreciate the constructive engagement shown by union representatives and our people throughout this process."
Bargaining with narrowbody fleet crew
Meanwhile, Dines said strike action is still planned for around half of the crew who work for Air NZ's narrowbody fleet, but noted that they are making progress in bargaining with the unions.
"[We] are working to reach and finalise agreements to avoid strike action altogether," the CPO said.
Dines added that their teams are working through what the upcoming strike action could mean for their Domestic Jet, Tasman, and Pacific schedules.
"If a strike does go ahead, some services will be affected, and we will contact customers directly from tomorrow if any changes to their travel are required," she said.
Last month, around 1,250 E tū members working as Air NZ cabin crew announced that they will strike for a full day on December 8.
E tū national secretary Rachel Mackintosh previously said their members want a "fair deal that reflects their skill, responsibility, and the vital safety role they play every day."
