KEY POINTS:
Air Nelson pilots will begin a three-day strike tomorrow after a year of negotiations, and recent industrial action, failed to yield a new contract.
Pilots are asking for a pay rise and changes to rostering, which currently allows just one weekend off each month, New Zealand Airline Pilots' Association executive director Rick Mirkin said.
"We've not succeeded in convincing Air Nelson to take these rostering issues seriously. By that I mean they haven't made any realistic offers at all."
He said pilots were not well paid, but the real "sticking point" was obtaining a better work/life balance for pilots.
The Air New Zealand-owned company employs about 180 pilots spread among seven bases around the country. More than 160 are association members.
They are seeking a pay increase of 11.5 per cent over the next three years and are asking for a 5pm finish on the Friday before their weekend off. Mr Mirkin said pilots were often stuck at work until 11pm.
Air Nelson general manager John Hambleton has said the pilots' claims would amount to around a 30 per cent increase in labour costs: "[It] would require the company to employ in excess of 36 additional pilots, costing the company millions. We do not believe our passengers are willing to pay millions of dollars more for their airfares."
Mr Mirkin said Air Nelson's refusal to budge had led to a campaign of industrial action that began in February when pilots refused to work beyond their rostered hours. This was followed by two separate 12-hour strikes in March and April.
"[Air Nelson] has traditionally relied on the goodwill of pilots to work on their days off, their annual leave and to jump in their car and drive from base to base to cover shortages. And it's been very profitable for Air New Zealand through this period. It's reported to be the most profitable business unit."
From the start of this month, pilots stopped showing up for duty between midnight and 9.15am, preventing flights from taking off before 10am.
Mr Mirkin said that had damaged Air Nelson's performance substantially. "[But] unfortunately we have still not received any change of position from Air Nelson."
Air Nelson said it had contingency plans in place for this weekend's strike that should "minimise the impact".
Mr Hambleton said where possible, passengers would be notified in advance of any changes and "re-accommodated on the nearest available service".
The next meeting between the association and Air Nelson is scheduled for July 31.
- NZPA
