AFAP plans 24-hour strike against Qantas unit

The Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) has given Network Aviation (a Qantas Group airline operator based in Western Australia) notice of a 24-hour stoppage of all work from 00:01 on Thursday 8 February 2024. The pilot group has been attempting to negotiate a new enterprise agreement to replace the Network Aviation Pilots Enterprise Agreement 2016 (that expired on 31 Oct 2020). The AFAP’s members at Network Aviation are employed by aircraft charter and passenger operator Network Aviation, which is a wholly owned Qantas subsidiary. In addition to passenger transport services (as QantasLink) Network Aviation conducts intrastate and fly-in, fly-out charter operations for the resources sector. “Network pilots’ pay and conditions are significantly inferior to that of other pilots at Qantas and comparable airlines,” said AFAP Senior Industrial Officer Chris Aikens. “The AFAP has been genuinely negotiating and trying to reach an agreement with Qantas management but the company remains unwilling to revisit its inflexible wages policy instituted under the former CEO. With more than 90 percent of Network pilots being AFAP members, the pilot group is highly engaged and keen to progress these negotiations towards conclusion,” said Aikens. “We apologise for the disruptions this action will cause to the travelling public in Western Australia  along with FIFO mining staff and other workers reliant on Network and QantasLink flights scheduled for Thursday.” In accordance with section 414 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), notice was given to the company by the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) as the Bargaining Representative for members of the AFAP who will be covered by the proposed Network Aviation Pilots Enterprise Agreement 2023, that our members employed by Network Aviation intend to engage in a stoppage of the performance of all work for 24 hours (from 00:01 on Thursday 8 February 2024) The AFAP is the only pilot union to have filed for PIA, and as such only AFAP members can participate in the ballot and take PIA. With more than 5,500 members, the AFAP is the largest professional association and industrial organisation for commercial pilots in Australia. It represents and promotes the interests of Australian professional pilots. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]