May 22, 2007
Media Release

Air NZ Link workers to strike

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union members at Air New Zealand Link company Air Nelson will be taking strike action from one minute past midnight on Thursday after rejecting the company’s latest pay offer.

Members voted overwhelming against the offer, which was provided to them in writing by Air New Zealand.

Most of the airline’s permanent staff will take part in the action, which will target food freight and engineering and will include an overtime ban as well as a series of four day-long rolling stoppages.

EPMU National Aviation Organiser Strachan Crang says the strike action comes after eleven days of negotiations, including five days with a mediator.

“The company’s offer amounted to an average of 3.6% a year for 30 months, when the going rate in the current environment is around 5%

“The airline – whether you look at just the subsidiary or you look at the parent company – has been doing well financially and our members want a pay settlement that reflects this.

“These workers are highly skilled and have been loyal to the company when it needed them to help grow its market share, right down to taking a below average pay deal last negotiations so the company could expand its fleet. Now they just want to see some loyalty in return.”

The union is seeking a two year deal of 5.4% and 4.8%, which includes catch up payments from previously low settlements.

The EPMU represents around 5000 aviation workers. More than 3000 are employed by Air New Zealand.

ENDS

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