Conciliation talks between Qantas and long-haul pilots over a pay and conditions dispute will continue next month.
The airline met with the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) in Sydney on Wednesday in an attempt to resolve the year-long dispute over pay and working conditions.
Qantas said it sought conciliation before Fair Work Australia after the pilots’ union “refused to meaningfully negotiate on pay and conditions” unless their demands for equal conditions for pilots were met.
“Despite 12 months of negotiations and 35 meetings with the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA), a new enterprise bargaining agreement has still not been reached,” Qantas said in a statement on Wednesday.
AIPA began low-key industrial action in July over its fight for better pay and conditions, the first taken by long-haul pilots for four decades.
Qantas said the union was demanding that Jetstar either give its pilots the same pay and conditions as Qantas long-haul pilots, or be stopped from codesharing Qantas flights.
The union has disputed this, saying it is simply calling for flights with a Qantas QF flight code to be operated by Qantas pilots.
This would include QF flights which codeshare with wholly-owned Qantas affiliates Jetconnect and Jetstar.
However, flights sold as Jetstar, with a JQ flightcode, would be unaffected, the union says.
AIPA Vice President Captain Richard Woodward said the union’s position remained as it had always been.
“We want Qantas pilots to remain behind the controls of Qantas flights. We remain completely open to negotiate on how to achieve that,” he said.
“AIPA believes Fair Work Australia understands the broad perspective of Qantas pilots well.”
Qantas has said complying with the pilots’ demands would lead to job losses, increase the cost of airfares and cost the airline more than $150 million over four years.
“Qantas is committed to reaching a fair agreement with its 1650 long-haul pilots and are willing to negotiate reasonable increases in pay and conditions as well as productivity improvements that help position Qantas international operations for future growth,” the airline said.
“Qantas pilots are amongst the highest paid in the world and their pay and conditions are around 50 per cent higher than Virgin long-haul pilots.”
Conciliation talks will continue at Fair Work Australia on September 8 and 9, and have also been scheduled for September 19 and 20.
