The Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) has locked-in 3 consecutive 24-hour stoppages of all work from 28 February through to 1 March 2024 after suspending a 4-day period of industrial action at the request of the Western Australia state government last week.
The rolling industrial action has resumed at a time in which more than half the 250-strong pilot workforce, employed by Qantas (ASX:QAN) subsidiary Network Aviation, indicated at a recent meeting they may soon leave to fly for other airlines.
Other airlines include those offering far better pay and conditions, according to AFAP Senior Industrial Officer Chris Aikens.
Aikens says with attracting and retaining pilots becomes even more difficult for the airline, a potential exodus of pilots will have a “significant” impact on both Qantas and the Western Australia economy as long as Qantas continues failing to address the inequities of treating Network pilots like “second-class citizens”.
More than 230 pilots (of a total 250) employed by Network Aviation are members of the AFAP and are eligible to take this industrial action approved by the Fair Work Commission.
As reported by Mining.com.au last week, the latest wave of industrial action from pilots employed by Qantas subsidiary Network Aviation was cancelled given the risk posed by ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln in northwest Western Australia to enable evacuation flights to potentially take place if needed.
Aikens says: “Our Network pilot representatives decided to suspend the stop work action planned for this weekend as it was the professional and right thing to do to remove people from potential harm.”
However, Aikens is not oblivious to Qantas enlisting the services of its B737 aircraft from the Eastern States, as well as other charter aircraft from other airlines to satiate the continuous disruptions caused to Western Australian fly in, fly out (FIFO) workers and miners who rely on Network Aviation to ferry workers to and from mine sites.
“We understand that the airline has brought Qantas B737 aircraft from the Eastern states and charter aircraft from other airlines.
Qantas management would prefer to spend up to $8 million a day trying to ride this storm rather than investing in its pilot workforce in Western Australia.
What the pilots are asking for is just a drop in the ocean for the company given the half-year profit of $1.25 billion posted yesterday.
Despite the need to take further action, we remain open to meeting with the company in the hope that it can offer something that will be acceptable to this pilot group.”
Write to Adam Drought at Mining.com.au
