Long Haul EA Update
30/09/2024 | Author: AIPA
Long Haul EA Update
It has been several weeks since we last wrote to you regarding the current LH EA negotiations (LHEA11). In that time there have been hundreds of hours of work undertaken by your AIPA EA team in refining a package which meets your requirements for this round of negotiations gathered from your survey responses.
The survey data highlighted the significant level of discontent amongst pilots. It is no secret that divisive company policies have driven a wedge between employees and all levels of management. It is also no surprise that levels of distrust in management are at an all-time high, and subsequently, levels of engagement are at an all-time low.
Over the past six years, our surveys have asked the same series of engagement questions and there has been a consistent downward trend in all those metrics. We use a metric that Qantas’ managers are very cognisant of, Net Promoter Score (NPS). Our 2019 LHEA survey showed an employee engagement NPS of -35 which, at the time, was the lowest score our professional survey company had ever seen. The survey we conducted prior to commencing bargaining for this EA resulted in a new record low for engagement with a score of -59. This result is nothing short of damning and has been conveyed to the company through our conversations and initial presentation across the EA table.
This EA provides an opportunity for the company to continue the journey of repairing the relationship with its long-haul pilot body. Senior management have publicly stated that they are actively looking for ways to do things differently and want to engage in a more inclusive and constructive approach to enterprise bargaining. The EA is also an opportunity for the company to recognise the contribution pilots make to this airline and begin to rebuild trust with this critical segment of their workforce. Both the result, and the way in which these negotiations are conducted, will be critical in achieving that outcome. We believe that a deal that addresses the needs of pilots and the company is possible, and all our discussions so far indicate there’s a willingness to work collaboratively to achieve that outcome.
Engagement aside, the key substantive themes that came out of the survey results were:
Remuneration
The current cost of living crisis is affecting just about every Australian. The expense of living in our major cities has jumped significantly since 2020 and wage increases simply haven’t kept pace. In real terms, pilots' wages have been eroded over many years, exacerbated by the lasting effects of the Covid stand down period whose effects will continue to be felt for years to come. Another clear issue is the Second Officer B-scale which was identified as a major concern for all fleets and ranks, not just those directly affected.
Work/Life Balance
Work/life balance means different things to different people however you believe that the following issues need addressing:
Recognition of Loyalty and Leadership
Pilots have long been asked, and expected, to uphold a position of leadership within the company with the current Pilot Leadership Forum course that pilots are being mandated to attend being a case in point. For some time, there has been a lack of recognition of the responsibilities and authority of the pilot position and many of the current recognition schemes within the airline are not fit for purpose for pilots.
Some of the issues that have been raised by you include:
In addition to these key themes, it would come as no surprise that there is a significant training program required to prepare not only for the new aircraft coming into mainline, but also the projected retirements which start to accelerate over the next few years. You will no doubt have seen the recent notices advertising road shows by training management to highlight the benefits of becoming a trainer. Whilst the training load provides great opportunities for our members, it also comes with a renewed focus on how that training program is achieved. The company has made it quite clear to the EA team, and AIPA’s training representatives, that the current trainer’s work rules will require efficiencies to achieve the training courses required. That said, we believe that with great challenges come great opportunities, and we see this as a chance for trainers to benefit from addressing issues within their training environment.
Our further focus in these negotiations is to set up the LH EA for the next generation of Qantas mainline pilots. We are the custodians of terms and conditions, the envy of many other work groups, unions and pilot bodies around the globe, and it is our duty to build on what we have inherited and prepare our contract for the next phase of Qantas’ growth. Our next couple of EA meetings with the company will drill down on how we propose to address your concerns and expectations and set us up for this next phase of Qantas’ story. We will expand on those concepts with you once we have done so in the relevant forum in the next few weeks.
Corey Beer | Glen Hunter | Andrew Marshall | John Pavlou
LH EA Negotiating Team
The survey data highlighted the significant level of discontent amongst pilots. It is no secret that divisive company policies have driven a wedge between employees and all levels of management. It is also no surprise that levels of distrust in management are at an all-time high, and subsequently, levels of engagement are at an all-time low.
Over the past six years, our surveys have asked the same series of engagement questions and there has been a consistent downward trend in all those metrics. We use a metric that Qantas’ managers are very cognisant of, Net Promoter Score (NPS). Our 2019 LHEA survey showed an employee engagement NPS of -35 which, at the time, was the lowest score our professional survey company had ever seen. The survey we conducted prior to commencing bargaining for this EA resulted in a new record low for engagement with a score of -59. This result is nothing short of damning and has been conveyed to the company through our conversations and initial presentation across the EA table.
This EA provides an opportunity for the company to continue the journey of repairing the relationship with its long-haul pilot body. Senior management have publicly stated that they are actively looking for ways to do things differently and want to engage in a more inclusive and constructive approach to enterprise bargaining. The EA is also an opportunity for the company to recognise the contribution pilots make to this airline and begin to rebuild trust with this critical segment of their workforce. Both the result, and the way in which these negotiations are conducted, will be critical in achieving that outcome. We believe that a deal that addresses the needs of pilots and the company is possible, and all our discussions so far indicate there’s a willingness to work collaboratively to achieve that outcome.
Engagement aside, the key substantive themes that came out of the survey results were:
- Satisfy member expectations on remuneration
- Make improvements to work/life balance
- Recognise pilot loyalty and leadership
Remuneration
The current cost of living crisis is affecting just about every Australian. The expense of living in our major cities has jumped significantly since 2020 and wage increases simply haven’t kept pace. In real terms, pilots' wages have been eroded over many years, exacerbated by the lasting effects of the Covid stand down period whose effects will continue to be felt for years to come. Another clear issue is the Second Officer B-scale which was identified as a major concern for all fleets and ranks, not just those directly affected.
Work/Life Balance
Work/life balance means different things to different people however you believe that the following issues need addressing:
- Rostering practices
- The impact of technology (use of iPads etc)
- Shared Blank Line allocation
- Commuter travel arrangements, (30% of SOs now commute)
- Home transport boundaries
- Training pilot arrangements
- Hotel standards
- Access to Annual and Long Service leave
Recognition of Loyalty and Leadership
Pilots have long been asked, and expected, to uphold a position of leadership within the company with the current Pilot Leadership Forum course that pilots are being mandated to attend being a case in point. For some time, there has been a lack of recognition of the responsibilities and authority of the pilot position and many of the current recognition schemes within the airline are not fit for purpose for pilots.
Some of the issues that have been raised by you include:
- Lounge access
- Staff travel dilution
- Accompanied travel arrangements
In addition to these key themes, it would come as no surprise that there is a significant training program required to prepare not only for the new aircraft coming into mainline, but also the projected retirements which start to accelerate over the next few years. You will no doubt have seen the recent notices advertising road shows by training management to highlight the benefits of becoming a trainer. Whilst the training load provides great opportunities for our members, it also comes with a renewed focus on how that training program is achieved. The company has made it quite clear to the EA team, and AIPA’s training representatives, that the current trainer’s work rules will require efficiencies to achieve the training courses required. That said, we believe that with great challenges come great opportunities, and we see this as a chance for trainers to benefit from addressing issues within their training environment.
Our further focus in these negotiations is to set up the LH EA for the next generation of Qantas mainline pilots. We are the custodians of terms and conditions, the envy of many other work groups, unions and pilot bodies around the globe, and it is our duty to build on what we have inherited and prepare our contract for the next phase of Qantas’ growth. Our next couple of EA meetings with the company will drill down on how we propose to address your concerns and expectations and set us up for this next phase of Qantas’ story. We will expand on those concepts with you once we have done so in the relevant forum in the next few weeks.
Corey Beer | Glen Hunter | Andrew Marshall | John Pavlou
LH EA Negotiating Team