“Business as usual” at Auckland Airport on Friday

27 June 2005

“Business as usual” at Auckland Airport on Friday

For a 24-hour period on Friday 1 July, some Auckland International Airport Limited operations department staff members will undertake strike action as part of union demands over pay.

They are members of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EMPU).

Around 75 operational staff will be affected, including customer services (redcoats) and airfield officers, of whom approximately one-third are rostered on for any one shift.

The disagreement has arisen over a claim from the EPMU for a 5% plus 5% wage rise over a two-year term. AIAL has offered staff a three-year package that would cost the company 6% in the first year and 4.7% and 4% in the subsequent years. The union disagrees with some components of the offer.

A contingency plan has been put into action. The airport expects no impact on passenger or flight operations, with only minor impacts "behind-the-scenes".

The airport’s general manager of operations, David Hansen, says, “Many management staff were previously employed in the affected areas and are able to cover for the period of the strike.

“The airport company offered to continue with negotiations this week in good faith to resolve all outstanding issues if strike notice was withdrawn. The union refused to do so.

“However, for the airport on Friday, we expect it will be business as usual.”

ENDS

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