Air NZ engineers' strike called off after last-minute talks

11.55am

A threatened eight-day strike by 1200 Air New Zealand maintenance workers has been called off after a last minute deal was struck.

A full strike was due to start Monday after a dispute about shiftwork during the re-negotiation of the engineers' collective agreement.

An overtime ban was put in place on Tuesday after Air NZ sought to introduce shiftwork for dayworkers, the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) said.

But that had since been dropped and a better wage increase offered, EPMU spokesman Andrew Little said.

"On the basis of that, a majority of EPMU members voted to accept the offer."

The airline had agreed on a 3.75 per cent payrise in the first year, and 3.25 in the second year. The EPMU had sought a 4.8 per cent rise, but decided to settle after Air NZ dropped a series of "radical" changes in the collective contract which would have had various impacts on workers, Mr Little said.

A strike would not have affected day-to-day aircraft maintenance on airport tarmacs but would have stung Air NZ financially in the most consistently profitable part of its operation, which is heavily dependent on work for other airlines.

The union had contacted its colleagues in Australia, asking they refuse to provide urgent maintenance for Air NZ planes.

Four months of negotiations involving his union and the Aviation Technicians' Association broke down over Air New Zealand's insistence on a right to force engineers hired for permanent day duties to move to shift work, and vice versa.

- NZPA