Qantas FIFO airline Network Aviation is facing disruption as cabin crew prepare to strike

The company’s highly profitable FIFO airline is facing disruption after cabin crew voted to strike over a ‘sneaky’ pay deal.

Close to 400 cabin crew from Qantas’s profitable FIFO airline have voted in favour of industrial action after the pay deal they were offered was not what they agreed to in negotiations.

The Perth-based Network Aviation operates a fleet of 33 aircraft on scheduled flights and fly-in, fly-out charter services in Western Australia.

The Flight Attendants Association of Australia said members voted in favour of protected industrial action in the hope Qantas would honour what was agreed at the bargaining table.

That included an increase in duties from 10 to 12-hours providing that was outside of the 1am to 5am period, and indexed increases in overtime allowances.

FAAA federal secretary Teri O’Toole said Network Aviation was a strong performer for the Qantas Group and their 380 cabin crew deserved to be rewarded appropriately for their contribution.

“These crew have languished under a very basic agreement for years, even referring to themselves as the ‘bin chickens’ of aviation,” said Ms O’Toole.

“Now when the Qantas Group is experiencing billion dollar profits, Network Aviation is walking back from an in-principle agreement made on May 11 — an agreement that balanced the needs of the business with those of its workers.”

FAAA federal secretary Teri O’Toole. Picture: Adam Yip

Ms O’Toole questioned how workers were supposed to “deal with a company that makes a handshake with one hand, and has their fingers crossed behind their backs with the other”.

“They’re trying to sneak in conditions that cannot be agreed to, and if we don’t agree the $5000 bonus goes away,” she said.

“These employees have now voted to say that enough is enough. Network Aviation and Qantas can’t push them into accepting sub-par deals, all while forecasting multi-billion dollar profits.”

Cabin crew were yet to decide exactly what form their industrial action would take, with work bans and stoppages all on the table.

A Qantas spokeswoman said the move towards industrial action was “disappointing particularly given an in-principle agreement was reached in early May”.

“We are offering significant financial and lifestyle benefits, including 3 per cent wage increases, roster protection and increased allowances,” said the spokeswoman.

“If the union proceeds with industrial action, we have contingency plans to minimise disruptions to customers.”

Network Aviation pilots were also preparing to vote for protected industrial action, over a pay deal that put them well behind their Qantas domestic peers.

Qantas was preparting to report the company’s full year results on Thursday.

A record profit of between $2.35bn and $2.45bn was expected following a year of enormous demand for travel and high airfares.

Qantas was also hoping to expand its share of the West Australian FIFO market, with a planned takeover of Alliance Aviation.

Although the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has opposed the acquisition, Qantas was expected to go to court in an effort to complete the deal.