Current and ongoing negotiations involving NZALPA are detailed below. For any queries related to negotiations, please email [email protected]

Virgin Australia New Zealand – Advocate Adam Nicholson 

The NZALPA negotiators and Virgin Australia are continuing to work constructively, in an interest based negotiation environment, towards a settlement of the VANZ (Virgin Australia New Zealand) negotiations. The common goal is to move towards an arrangement which will enable all pilots (both New Zealand and Australian) to fly to any Virgin Australia or Virgin New Zealand destination on standard conditions and on common salary structures. 

Stage two of this process will be to bring the Australian unions and their pilots into the same framework. Meetings outside the negotiations are being held with the Australian unions to explore their interests and how our negotiations may impact on those. 

The challenges in this process include: 

• protection of each pilot group’s interests and job protections; 
• providing all participants with a safe environment in which to have these fundamental discussions; and
• determining how the provisions of the New Zealand and the Australian employment agreements can be evaluated to ensure that different provisions have the same effect and cost. 

Massey School of Aviation– Advocate Adam Nicholson 

Negotiations are in stalemate at the moment. An offer from the University which might have resolved things is on the table. However, it requires acceptance of a new rostering system which would mean that Flight Instructors who, until now, have only been required to work one weekend day per month will in future only get one weekend and two half weekends off in six weeks.  Partial strikes have now been replaced by full day strikes for at least one day a week. 

L3 CTS – Advocates Adam Nicholson and Joy Walpole-Leva'a 

The settlement was ratified on 26 March. We will now begin to advise the industry of the new standards which have been set by NZALPA and L3 management (both here and in the United Kingdom) working together to achieve a document which offers financial recognition of the value Flight Instructors provide to the aviation industry as a whole. The package will encourage some of them to remain in this part of the aviation industry for longer, and provide others with the opportunity to make aviation training their preferred career.

Airways Flight Service – Advocate Adam Nicholson 

Airways and NZALPA continue to work constructively towards a settlement which combines two separate workplaces and three distinct job descriptions into one document and will provide some of the employees with a significant salary restructure. 

Air Freight – Advocate Joy Walpole-Leva’a 

Bargaining was initiated in early March, and further negotiation meetings are being set up with the company.   

Air Nelson and Mount Cook Single Regional Air New Zealand Collective Agreement Project (RANCAP) – Advocate Mark Dignan 

The NZALPA team met with representatives from Mount Cook and Air Nelson management from 5-7 March, to further develop a draft combined Regional Pilot collective agreement (CA), in anticipation of bargaining starting. 

The RANCAP team has worked through the following issues, making significant progress: 

• leave mechanisms including annual leave, sick leave, alternative holidays, special bids and bereavement leave
• further use of the regional seniority list 
• base transfer provisions 
• statutory clauses and standard provisions contained in CA 
• rostering provisions
• standby system 
• days off/time off

A draft document is almost complete. There are some areas where a framework is agreed, but detail within the framework (such as remuneration) will require work in formal bargaining. Both agreements expire on 24 May 2019. We expect bargaining on a single regional CA to start after 26 March. 

Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust (ARHT) – Advocate Joy Walpole Leva’a 

We will meet with management soon to progress negotiations.