Qantas pilots threaten strike over cheaper Kiwi counterparts

The turbulent times for Australia’s national airline Qantas are continuing, with pilots threatening to strike for the first time in 45 years.

The pilots overwhelmingly voted for their first walk-out since 1966, alleging the company will replace them with cheaper pilots from countries such as New Zealand.

Some of the 103 Kiwis employed by a Qantas shelf-company registered in New Zealand called Jetconnect, are being paid a lot less than their Australian counterparts.

“Currently they’d get about $A103,000 and the difference would be around another $A50, 000. They’d be on about $160,000 so the difference is $50,000 less – it’s ridiculous,” said Richard Woodward from Australian and International Pilots Association.

The exchange rate and the fact that Qantas does not have to contribute 9% superannuation payments for Jetconnect pilots is a massive saving.

The Australian Pilots Association fears the cheaper model is the beginning of the end for the flying kangaroo.

They say Qantas may use the Jetconnect model in Asia, such as outsourcing its low coast carrier Jetstar to Singapore.

“They told the pilots ‘if you want a promotion you would have to move to Singapore on a 30% less salary to do the same job they were doing last week,” Woodward said.

Qantas pilots want Jetstar and Jetconnect pilots to be paid the same as them and they are willing to strike over it – their first industrial action in 45 years.

Qantas told ONE News in a statement that increasing pilots’ wages make the operations like Jetstar unprofitable.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Pilots Association boss Glenn Kenney said that “he would like to see any outcome beneficial for New Zealand pilots, and he’d like to see them as part of the solution and not the problem.”

The Australian Pilots Union is required to give 72 hours notice of any industrial action, but said a mass walk-out is a last resort.

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