Air NZ senior cabin crew to strike in support redundant staff re-hired on lower wages

Tuesday, 8 March 2022

Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300ER takes a test flight after 600 days grounded because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Air New Zealand international cabin crew leaders have issued a strike notice in support of crew who are returning from redundancy on much lower pay.

E tū head of aviation Savage said experienced crew on the long-haul Boeing 787-9 and Boeing 777-300ER fleet who were made redundant because of the Covid-19 pandemic were being re-hired at a much lower wage.

Air New Zealand senior cabin crew earned an average salary of between $53,645 and $62,117.

But many leaders made redundant at the start of the pandemic were being hired back at the starting rate of $42,917, which over a 40-hour week worked out to be $20.60 an hour, he said.

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E Tu wants cabin crew to be paid at least the living wage.

The dispute over the wages redundant staff were being re-hired on was the primary reason for the strike he said.

The strike would not affect the travelling public, but might delay the training of new crew.

E tū negotiator Sandie Bartlett said the cabin crew had run out of other options and had been forced to strike.

“We’ve been in bargaining for more than two years, and the company has so far refused to recognise that the wages for experienced cabin crew returning from redundancy are too low,” Bartlett said.

E tū wanted the starting rate raised to at least the living wage of $22.75 an hour.

The union had also asked Air New Zealand for clearer rules around fatigue management.

Bartlett said Air New Zealand’s focus on long-haul trips to North America meant cabin crew often had to fly for up to 19 hours, and up to 22 hours if there were flight delays.

“We need reassurances our wages will go up and that our rosters won’t increase the existing fatigue problems all crew face.”

Savage said while the strike would not be disruptive to passengers, “more strike action was possible”.

It was impossible for crew to survive on the wages currently on offer, he said.

“We don’t believe the company will be able to retain experienced and trained crew with the amount it has offered so far.”

Savage said a decent pay increase must be on the cards for members to consider a resolution.

Cabin crew were responsible for safe operations in the air and went through extensive training to develop the experience and expertise needed to do their jobs, he said.

“It was only fair they are provided with decent jobs with pay rates which reflect the high level of personal commitment they bring to their work.”

Air NZ has been contacted for comment.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story said the average wage of senior cabin crew was $42,917. The average wage is between $53,645 and $62,117. (Amended: March 8, 2021 at 6.13pm)