Air NZ confirms cleaners to lose jobs

About 120 Air New Zealand aircraft cleaners found out today they will lose their jobs, when the airline confirmed it will outsource its aircraft cleaning.


The cuts, which affect 122 staff in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, will save at least $1.5 million annually, the airline has said.


The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) said last week the aircraft cleaners were preparing to fight the airline's plans.

But its counter-proposal to the airline was dismissed by Air NZ today as not saving enough money.

Spokeswoman Adelia Hallett has said the union was to file action in the Employment Court against the airline over the proposal.

The airline has said any potentially affected staff would be given the opportunity to transfer to a new employer, or accept redundancy.

Air New Zealand airport services general manager Paul Reid said the proposal to outsource was based on potential savings, and was not a reflection on the quality of the cleaners' work.

The airline had been consulting with unions since last August about the future direction of aircraft cleaning, he said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Air New Zealand engineers will vote this week on a union proposal aimed at saving jobs.

The airline originally planned to send both aero engine and wide body heavy maintenance to offshore providers, axing 617 mostly Auckland-based jobs.

It confirmed the aero engine work would definitely go offshore, cutting 110 jobs and saving the airline $52 million over five years.

But the union counter-proposal could see the wide body heavy maintenance work remain in-house, through a combination of job losses and labour reform.

- NZPA