Union ad blitz over Air NZ 'rip-off'

The EMPU's full-page ad as seen in today's <i>Herald.</i> Photo / Supplied

The union representing cabin crew has launched an aggressive campaign against Air New Zealand as a four-day strike gets under way today.

Full-page advertisements appear today in each of the country's major daily newspapers including the Herald, expressing the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union's view that "Air New Zealand are ripping us off".

The advertisements claim that a "corporate trick" by Air New Zealand - which owns subsidiary company Zeal 320, with 240 flight attendants who walked off the job after midnight last night - has meant a pay disparity of "thousands of dollars a year less" than other cabin crew performing the same duties.

The ads state that staff have been "threatened, intimidated, isolated even suspended" for standing up to the "injustice".

Air New Zealand said passengers would not be affected by the strike.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little told the Herald last night the ads were part of a campaign that had cost the "thick end of $150,000", including legal advice and the financial support offered to members.

The union had taken out the ads to explain what was behind the strike action, he said. A series of protests in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch would also take place today.

"It's not just an ordinary case of a group of workers launching [a bid for] an unusually high pay increase," Mr Little said.

"It's a situation in which a group of Air New Zealand flight attendants are already being paid 30 per cent less than other Air New Zealand flight attendants doing exactly the same work. This is about saying that can't continue.

"That's the injustice that they're fighting against. Even though the aviation market is struggling, Air New Zealand is still profiting and can afford to pay them more."

The cabin crew are striking after two months of failed negotiations between the union and airline.

Union advocate Strachan Crang said the EPMU was concentrating on supporting its members during the strike.

"I think that both the parties are resolved to take the industrial action ... and we're both looking after the interests of the people we represent."

Zeal staff would be locked out by Air NZ during the strike, while the airline had arranged for management staff to fill in for cabin crew on short-haul transtasman and Pacific flights.

Mr Crang said he thought it would be good for managers to see how hard their staff worked.

"They'll see how hard the job is and hopefully change their minds about what the job really entails."

The EPMU is seeking substantial pay rises for Zeal staff, who are paid up to $30,000 less a year than staff working directly for the parent company.

Air NZ said the union was making comparisons with long-haul cabin crew who earned a similar base salary but had higher allowances paid in foreign currency while they were on international stopovers.

"It simply costs more to buy a meal in Tokyo than it does in Auckland," it said.

A union spokesman yesterday said it had offered the airline a settlement last Friday, after mediation ended without resolution. He said the union was trying to meet Air NZ halfway.

Air NZ spokeswoman Haley McCrystal said the airline "will continue to work with the EPMU to try and reach a satisfactory settlement".

Air NZ's group general manager of short-haul airlines, Bruce Parton, said yesterday that plans of the 20,000 customers travelling over the next four days would not be affected.

About 100 staff were trained to act as alternative crew and would be helped by other staff, including himself and chief executive officer Rob Fyfe.

- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: NZPA