Air New Zealand Cabin Crew Vote to Strike

By Andrew Curran.

Around 1,200 unionised Air New Zealand cabin crew have voted to strike as part of a push for better pay and conditions.

The E tū union says its members voted “overwhelmingly” to strike after trying for months to get better pay and rosters through collective agreement negotiations.

In play are three separate agreements covering international, domestic, and regional crew.

Air New Zealand flies to 48 airports across 17 countries, including 20 airports within New Zealand.

Aero South Pacific’s recent Air New Zealand Market Report noted that the airline operated almost 3,300 weekly flights over a seven-day period earlier this month. Over 82% of those flights are domestic, with the remaining 18% spanning the airline’s international network.

Union claims Air New Zealand cabin crew are underpaid

E tū Director Michael Wood says Air New Zealand cabin crew members do not get paid enough for the hours they work. Currently, a typical cabin crew member has a guaranteed base salary of around NZD60,000 (USD34,000), although this will vary according to seniority and experience.

“Crew are expected to trade away hard-won conditions, while the company is in the middle of a NZD100 million (USD56.6 million) share buy-back,” said Wood. “It’s unreasonable, and our members have had enough.”

“Our members aren’t asking for executive salaries,” he added. “They’re asking for a fair deal that reflects their skills, responsibilities, and the real cost of living. Air New Zealand needs to come to the table with a proper mandate to settle.”

Typically, Air New Zealand cabin work around 14 days per month, flying up to 80 hours in that time, although this will also vary according to individual rosters. There are also layover allowances and per diems, plus heavily discounted travel and medical and life insurance. 

Wood said the planned strike action, which would happen before the end of the year, came with limitations. Cabin crew would not strike in the seven days before Christmas and outside that period, striking international cabin crew would work flights returning to New Zealand to ensure no New Zealanders were stranded offshore.

“We've thought really hard about this,” he said. “It's a step that cabin crew didn't have to make and they're trying to make the action impactful because they want it to be for a better outcome.”

“I think people often have this image that the life of a flight attendant is glamourous and highly paid and all this kind of thing, it's really hard work and the guaranteed base pay is not high.”

Air New Zealand aware of planned strike action, talks continue

E tū is New Zealand’s largest aviation union. Aside from cabin crew, E tū looks after the interests of ground handlers, engineers and refuellers, catering workers, and border services and airport security personnel. Only cabin crew are involved in this planned strike action.

Air New Zealand says they are aware that there may be industrial action although they had not yet received any formal notification. In a statement, the airline said talks were underway with E tū to reach a fair agreement.

Wood said E tū would try to come to an agreement during these talks and avert the planned industrial action. “The company (Air New Zealand) needs to do the same,” he added.

Photo: Air New Zealand.