4 March 2007

Catch-22 for Air NZ workers

Air NZ has told its ground-handling staff -- either accept cuts to your pay and conditions, or you will be outsourced.

Yet if they accept the company’s latest proposal, the workers will be sitting ducks for future outsourcing, says the Service and Food Workers Union which represents around 300 check-in staff, mostly at Auckland International Airport.

Air NZ wants to separate out these members from other SFWU Air NZ members in a new multi-union Collective Agreement.

Jill Ovens, SFWU Northern Regional Secretary, says Air NZ is doing the dirty work for the Spanish outsource provider, Swissport, by trying to force the unions into first accepting a new Collective Agreement with cut-down terms and conditions.

“When Swissport eventually lands the contract, any further cuts won’t seem so drastic. It makes the proposal more attractive for them as it greatly lessens the risk of industrial action when they take over.”

The SFWU says Air NZ can not push its outsourcing proposal through right now because the Labour Government is more in line with public opposition to outsourcing and re-privatisation of our national airline.

“They are waiting for a time when it is more politically expedient to strip the airline down through progressive outsourcing. The next step will be privatisation.”

SFWU Air NZ members are currently covered by one SFWU Collective Agreement that includes members in cargo, finance, call centres, as well as front-line check-in staff.

“This has enabled our members to maintain their right to make their own decisions, independent of others whose interests don’t always coincide with theirs. Air NZ wants to separate them out into a situation where they will be in a minority so the company can do them over.”

Ms Ovens says Air NZ objected strongly to a proposal by the SFWU that a condition of the union’s agreement to an in-house proposal had to be a guarantee that the company would not outsource for another 10 years.

The SFWU has refused to negotiate with Air NZ because the Collective Agreement is still in force and members can not legally take industrial action to defend their terms and conditions.

ENDS

© Scoop Media