FIFO plane strikes extended to Monday

Union-affiliated Network Aviation pilots will double their strike action from three days to six, as their dispute with parent company Qantas over an enterprise agreement escalates.

In a move which could have serious ramifications for fly-in, fly-out workers, the Australian Federation of Air Pilots revealed today that its members employed by Network would strike until the end of Monday.

The move represents a doubling of the previously announced three-day strike, which started this morning.

AFAP members make up more than 90 per cent of Network Aviation’s 250-strong pilot workforce, which services FIFO operations across the state and also flies for QantasLink.

Qantas flights to and from Exmouth, Broome, Karratha, Darwin, Paraburdoo, Port Hedland, Newman, Solomon, West Angelas and Kalgoorlie Boulder are among those listed as cancelled in Perth Airport flight records today.

Network Aviation estimates around 25 return flights will be cancelled today and Thursday as a result of the action, but more than 80 per cent of customers will still be able to travel as a result of mitigation steps.

These include charter aircraft engaged from other airlines and the use of three Qantas Boeing 737 aircraft.

AFAP senior industrial officer Chris Aikens said the union was pushing for conditions and pay at the Qantas subsidiary on an equal footing to those provided to other parts of the business.

"We are dealing with an employer who steadfastly refuses to provide terms and conditions of employment enjoyed by other Qantas Group pilots across the country to Network pilots in WA,” he said.

“We are seeing Qantas at its worst showing total disdain for its pilots and the travelling public.

“Our members deeply regret having to take this protected industrial action but are left with no other option.”

Network Aviation accused AFAP of attacking the Western Australian economy.

“The strike action over the next few days is clearly aimed directly at the Western Australian economy by targeting flying to and from mine sites across the state,” Network Aviation chief operating officer Trevor Worgan said.

“The strikes planned over the weekend will mainly impact Western Australians travelling to regional towns across WA including places like Geraldton, Broome and Kalgoorlie,

“We are pulling out all stops to help get most customers to their destination on the same day, whether that’s to see family and friends or get to-and-from a mine site.”

Mr Worgan said the company had longer-term contingency plans in place should strikes continue.

The previous enterprise agreement between Qantas and Network Aviation pilots expired in 2020, and the union said pilots had their last pay rise in 2019.

"To be clear, the company's much-touted offer of a 25 per cent pay increase would not be applied to all the pilots,” Mr Aikens said.

“It would simply bring the lowest paid among the pilot group up to the Air Pilots Award, which is just the legal minimum standard."

Mr Worgan said pilots had been offered pay increases above 25 per cent.

“We’ve been working to reach a new agreement for 18 months and want our pilots to start receiving pay increases of more than 25 per cent that we have offered,” he said.

“We’ve been clear that we cannot offer more.”

Flights were first disrupted for 24 hours last week as a result of AFAP industrial action.