March 25, 2009
Media Release

Air NZ dispute about basic fairness - EPMU

Striking Zeal 320 workers simply want a fair deal and have been refused that by Air New Zealand, says the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing union.

The call follows allegations by the airline that EPMU members’ claims are unreasonable.

EPMU national aviation organiser Strachan Crang says the company has so failed to properly answer why they are paying Zeal workers tens of thousands of dollars a year less than their Air New Zealand counterparts.

“All we have heard from Air New Zealand are absurd attempts to portray our members as overpaid and unreasonable but the figures they quote are inflated and don’t account for the thousands of dollars of work-related costs our members have to bear to meet company policy.

“These costs amount to $15,000 to $20,000 a year for our members and put a serious dent in their take-home pay.

“Just like Air New Zealand crew, our members are required to pay for everything from the near-daily dry-cleaning of their own uniforms to the cost of their meals and other expenses while on duty overseas but unlike Air New Zealand crew they are not provided with enough money to do so.

“Despite six months of negotiations and several mediations the company has failed to answer our members’ biggest question - ‘why are they paid so much less for doing the same job, in the same uniforms and flying to the same destinations than crew employed directly by Air New Zealand?’

“It’s the blatant unfairness of this situation and the airline’s continual refusal to recognise it, let alone address it, that has driven our members to notify strike action.”

The EPMU represents 250 of the 300 cabin crew at Zeal 320 Ltd.

ENDS

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