Qantas reveals strike busting plans as Network Aviation pilots extend industrial action to six days

The embattled airline has revealed plans to bring in strike-busting aircraft and pilots from other companies as its Network Aviation pilots extend industrial action to six days.

Qantas has revealed plans to use charter aircraft and pilots from other companies as strike busters, in response to extended industrial action by 250 pilots in Western Australia.

The pilots employed by the Qantas-owned Network Aviation have extended a planned two-day strike to six days, in an effort to have their pay brought up to the same level as the airlines’ 737 domestic pilots.

Qantas has claimed that would amount to a 50 per cent increase and has offered a 25 per cent pay rise upfront, and 3 per cent annual increases.

The hike would lift the most junior pilots’ salaries to 14 per cent above the modern award.

Despite being accepted by unions, pilots voted against the offer, the third made by Qantas in 18-months.

A statement from Qantas said the Network Aviation pilots flew significantly fewer hours than other pilots in the group, and it was unreasonable to expect to be paid the same.

In an effort to honour bookings on FIFO and scheduled flights, Qantas organised three 737s and charter aircraft from other airlines.

Plans to use charter aircraft and pilots in the longer term were also in place, in the event of more strikes.

At least 50 flights were cancelled on Wednesday and Thursday with more cancellations expected on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Qantas said the contingency plans meant that more than 80 per cent of Network Aviation customers would travel on the same day they were booked to travel.

The Qantas-owned Network Aviation is at the centre of an intense industrial dispute.

Network Aviation chief operating officer Trevor Worgan said it was regrettable that the Australian Federation of Air Pilots continued to notify of more industrial action.

“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,” said Mr Worgan.

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

AFAP senior industrial officer Chris Aikens said Qantas had angered Network pilots by walking away from negotiations, and taking previously agreed items off the bargaining table.

He said AFAP members “deeply regretted having to take this protected industrial action” but were left with no other option.

“The enterprise agreement expired in 2020 and pilots had their last pay rise in 2019,” said Mr Aikens.

“We have been negotiating in good faith for at least 18 months, but the company continues to be inflexible.”

He said Network Aviation pilots “just wanted to be treated like other Qantas pilots”.

“We remain keen and willing to meet with the company’s management to arrive at some improvements in terms and conditions for the lowest paid jet pilots in the Qantas Group,” Mr Aikens said.

Qantas said it was wrong to say they had walked away from negotiations after making three offers, all of which were voted down by the pilots despite support from unions.

The airline also denied Network Aviation pilots were paid “significantly less” than others employed by Qantas, pointing out those pilots flew “significantly fewer hours”.

In an effort to resolve the dispute, Qantas has made an intractable bargaining application to the Fair Work Commission.

If accepted, the application would see the Commission enforce a new agreement to cover the pilots, and prevent further industrial action.

Mr Worgan said they were pulling out “all stops to get customers to their destination on the same day”.

“We’ve also put in place longer-term contingency plans to protect our customers should the union persist with their strike action,” he said.

Those plans included locking in other charter aircraft and pilots to perform the Network Aviation flights.