Air NZ engineers accept job-saving plan

Air New Zealand engineers have voted for a new employment package that will save around 300 of their jobs.

Members of the Aviation and Marine Engineering Association in Christchurch who had earlier narrowly rejected the proposal, have reconsidered and passed the plan.

The proposal will keep wide body heavy maintenance work in New Zealand, but would still see about 200 people lose their jobs, with pay and shift pattern changes for the remainder.

AMEA's national secretary George Ryde said the mood at today's meetings had been "sombre".

"I think people are just relieved to get past this point. There's still much work to be done."

AMEA's 220 members at Air NZ's Christchurch engineering base were previously criticised by the airline and some of their colleagues, who had voted for the proposal.

Other AMEA members and members of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) at the Auckland base approved the plan as the only way of preventing Air NZ from outsourcing the work overseas.

Air NZ tonight welcomed the news.

"This is a good decision for ANZES (Air New Zealand Engineering Services) and its staff, for Air New Zealand and for New Zealand itself ," Air NZ chief executive Rob Fyfe said in statement.

"The result of today's vote means that across the whole of ANZES there is two thirds majority support for the new collective employment agreement and the reform."

Today's vote saw 71 per cent vote in favo ur of the deal. Just over 90 per cent of the Christchurch AMEA engineers voted.

Mr Fyfe said he wanted to acknowledge the significant effort of the management team, together with union officials and delegates over the past few months.

"We are committed to a modern and competitive Air New Zealand which is smart and nimble. A positive, flexible and committed workforce at ANZES is a vital part of our vision for the company."

There was controversy today over whether the head of ANZES had implied that a no vote would mean the closure of the Christchurch base.

Mr Fyfe denied this, saying removing all Christchurch's work to Auckland would not be possible.

But Mr Ryde said the suggestion had been uppermost in many people's minds and was discussed.

"It certainly focused people's minds."

Workers would now consider whether to take voluntary redundancy. Mr Ryde said the number of lost engineering jobs was more than 300 if 110 jobs in the aero-engine area the were factored in.

They were never part of the plan to retain some of the engineers.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said she was "absolutely delighted" with the outcome.

Miss Clark congratulated the workers involved for working through the issues with the company.

She said through a spokeswoman that she looked forward to the company and the union working together to formally conclude the new arrangements.

Miss Clark took a personal role in the dispute, urging Air New Zealand and the union to keep talking after the engineers initially rejected the deal on Monday.