Airport Services Update

Airport Services Update

Air New Zealand would like to reiterate that Airport Services work will be outsourced unless members of both the EPMU and SFWU ratify an agreement which meets the company’s objectives.

The EPMU is still in discussion with Air New Zealand over trying to formalise an agreement that meets the company’s requirements and can be taken to its members for a vote. Meantime, the SFWU has said it will not pursue discussions with Air New Zealand.

Group General Manager People Vanessa Stoddart says that unless the membership of all the unions ratify a common solution Air New Zealand will outsource ground handling at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch Airports to Swissport.

“The conflicting union positions creates a difficult situation. One union may get support from its members for a satisfactory in-house solution, while the other doesn’t support it. Naturally, we can’t have one group of Air New Zealanders on incompatable terms and conditions to the other, so we would be left with no option but to outsource,” Ms Stoddart says.

“Given the SFWU is adamant that it does not want to take part in discussions with the company, the EPMU’s efforts to work with us to find an in-house solution are looking futile and are just prolonging the uncertainty for all 1700 staff. We continue to be inundated with feedback from staff, who just want a decision made so that they can get on with planning their lives.”

ENDS

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