May 16, 2007
EPMU/AMEA Joint Media Release

Air NZ workers lead international day of action

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union and Aviation and Marine Engineers Association members will be the first aviation workers in the world to take part in today’s aviation industry international day of protest.

The Auckland and Christchurch-based aircraft engineers will be leaving their work for two hours to rally outside their airports in protest against the international trend of cutting pay and conditions for aviation workers.

EPMU National Secretary Andrew Little says Kiwi aviation workers experienced that trend first hand last year when Air New Zealand threatened them with outsourcing.

“Air New Zealand has used the threat of outsourcing to cut its workers’ pay and conditions three times in the last year and a half. We’ll be using this day of action to draw attention to the airline’s shoddy behaviour and to back our calls for a parliamentary inquiry into the airline’s industrial relations practices.

“We’re also warning Air New Zealand that our members are demanding a fair share at upcoming pay negotiations. Now is a good time for a decent wage increase and our members are serious about it.

“Our members at Air Nelson are already pushing for a fair increase this year.”

AMEA National Secretary, George Ryde, said high skilled aviation workers are in hot demand around the world and airlines, including Air New Zealand, had to work with unions to make sure employment conditions remained competitive.

“If we don’t look after our people here they’ll go overseas and we’ll never get them back,” Mr Ryde said.

The actions will take place at Auckland airport at 9.30am and Christchurch airport at 1:30pm today.

ENDS

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