Summary
- Pilots at Network Aviation strike over stalled negotiations on latest workplace agreement, causing limited disruption to flights.
- Australian Federation of Air Pilots confirms planned motion will proceed attributable to company’s inflexibility in negotiations.
- AFAP lists demands for pilots, in search of equal treatment to Qantas pilots, while Qantas reports cancellation of 35 flights.
As foreshadowed earlier this week, Qantas Group subsidiary Network Aviation was today disrupted by a 24-hour stoppage when pilots walked off the job over stalled negotiations on a brand new workplace agreement. The pilots planned to strike for twenty-four hours from 00:01 today, and thus far plainly Network Aviation and its customers have managed to get through the day largely unscathed.
Photo: Qantas
It added that each one customers impacted by the strike have been contacted directly and offered a spread of options, including a rescheduled flight, a refund or a credit. Network Aviation Chief Operating Officer Treveor Worgan told the disruption for passengers was frustrating, adding that it’s disappointing that the pilot’s union “
“We have been working to achieve a brand new agreement with our pilots for 18 months and have offered significant pay increases and other advantages. Unfortunately given the impasse, we’ve got been left with no other option but to hunt arbitration within the Fair Work Commission.”
On Monday Network made an Intractable Bargaining claim to the Fair Work Commission which could have been the catalyst for AFAP to call for today’s stoppage. If the claim is successful the Fair Work Commission will step into the row to find out the final result of this long-running dispute.
Were you disrupted by this strike today? Tell us within the comments.