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For media enquiries, and to arrange interviews with Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) spokespeople, please contact Phil Davey of Mountain Media on 0414 867 188 or email phil@mountainmedia.com.au.

MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday, 12 August 2010

JOB SECURITY AND CAREER PROGRESSION TOP OF QANTAS PILOTS LIST AS BARGAINING FOR A NEW COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT KICKS OFF

The Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) has this week commenced bargaining negotiations with Qantas for a new enterprise agreement covering the airline’s long haul pilots.

“An extensive survey of pilots conducted by AIPA prior to commencing the bargaining process has found that their leading issues are not about money but rather concerns over job protection, career progression and the off-shoring of jobs,” said AIPA negotiations spokesperson First Officer Adam Susz.

“The Long Haul Agreement is Qantas' main flight crew agreement covering a workforce of around 1700 pilots, 98 per cent of whom are members of AIPA.

“AIPA is hopeful for constructive and co-operative dialogue with Qantas and is seeking an early resolution to these negotiations. This will provide certainty for pilots, Qantas management and the travelling public.

“As bargaining agent for all Qantas long haul pilots, AIPA will be working to ensure a speedy, fair and equitable outcome to the negotiating process. The Association is also prepared to rely upon the good faith bargaining rules in the Fair Work Act,” First Officer Susz said.

“These negotiations are not simply about pay and conditions, they are also a chance to raise very important concerns pilots have about broader workplace issues and to seek to resolve them in an amicable fashion. Qantas’ decision to offshore jobs, as highlighted by AIPA in the Jetconnect Case currently before the full bench of FWA, will be examined closely by pilots at the bargaining table.

“Qantas has a strong international reputation for safety, based in no small part on the skill, experience and hard work of its pilots, and we are committed to ensuring the high standards that the travelling public have come to expect are continued into the future.”

Along with the Long Haul Enterprise Agreement, Qantas will shortly undertake separate negotiations with its Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers.

“AIPA and the Engineers’ Association have a strong relationship and we are equally concerned about job security for our members,” First Officer Susz said.

MEDIA RELEASE
Friday, 25 June 2010

ALBANESE'S "UNPRECEDENTED AND UNACCEPTABLE" FLIGHT DECK ACCESS REGULATIONS REJECTED BY SENATE A SECOND TIME

The Federal Government’s reintroduction of changes to the Australian Aviation Transport Regulations preventing licensed pilots accessing the flight deck and transferring legal liability from airlines to pilots, has been rejected in the Senate by the cross benches and opposition for the second time in a year.

The Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) has described the Senate’s actions today as a victory for common sense and expressed the hope that the Government’s futile attempts to push through this ill advised regulatory reform were now at an end.

Pilots were concerned that the resubmitted Regulations were very similar, but more draconian, to those that were rejected in the Senate last year. The development of these Regulations was again conducted in secret and without consultation with regulators, airlines or pilots. The security regulations as they stood would have impacted on safety.

AIPA President Captain Barry Jackson appealed today to the Federal government to commit to real consultation with the industry in the future.

“We are seeing a worrying trend of announcements from this Government that appear as a bolt from the blue and do not have any input from the aviation industry.”

“Minister Albanese’s renewed attempts at changing flight deck access is one example. Another is the announcement earlier this week of heightened aviation security breach penalties announced by Minister Brendan O’Connor. Minister Albanese needs to get out of our flight decks and we will get out of Parliament.”

“AIPA is grateful that the cross benches and opposition, in particular Senator Xenophon, have had the consistency to reject these regulations for a second time and we hope today’s decision by the Senate will illustrate clearly to this Government that it needs to improve its stakeholder consultation.”

“Minister Albanese has had these regulations rescinded before in the Senate and for good reason. In moving a disallowance motion on these regulations in the Senate last September, Senator Nick Xenophon described them as ‘internationally unprecedented and unacceptable.’”

“So today’s Senate outcome was predictable given the history of this issue.”

Legal advice prepared by one of Australia’s leading Senior Counsel, Bret Walker, had previously confirmed AIPA’s view that the regulations were both inappropriate and unnecessary.

The Association had also commissioned an independent security risk specialist to investigate and debunk the Regulation’s premise that pilots travelling in flight deck jump seats were a safety and security threat.

MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday, 27 May 2010

UNION WELCOMES OPENING OF STATE-OF-THE-ART PILOT TRAINING FACILITY WHICH GUARANTEES NEXT GENERATION OF LOCAL PILOTS

Today's opening of the $20 million dollar Australian Airline Pilot Academy in Wagga Wagga will provide the next generation of well-trained pilots needed for local aviation, according to the Australian and International Pilots Association.

AIPA President Captain Barry Jackson congratulated Regional Express for the substantial investment in training local pilots, with up to 200 students a year accommodated for in the state-of-the-art school, as well as a cadet program which will provide 20 students annually with guaranteed jobs in the sector.

''This is dearly a huge investment for a small regional airline," Captain Jackson said.

"While airlines around the world responded to the global financial crisis by slashing costs, Rex have had the vision to look ahead, see the huge numbers of pilots that will be needed in our region over the next two decades, and invested serious money to create this amazing facility.

"This school is the most modern pilot training facility in Australia and comes complete with three flight simulators and a fleet of ten aircraft, which is expected to be doubled by June.

"Rex management know the importance of ensuring a continual supply of high quality pilots trained to the highest safety standards, and as economic conditions improve and demand for pilots increases this will be even more important.

''The cadet program, which subsidises the massive costs of becoming a pilot, also guarantees pilots give at least six years service after training, which will prevent a repeat of 2007 when the annual turnover of pilots due to poaching by big airlines reached 67 per cent and presented Rex which huge challenges to keep the business viable."