According to local representatives, efforts are underway to secure collective employment agreements that provide fair conditions and proper consultation. Photo: Cook Islands News
Air New Zealand staff in Rarotonga are raising concerns over changes to working conditions and employment agreements that they say is a breach of the Cook Islands Employment Relations Act 2012.
With more than 2000 cabin crew in New Zealand set to strike as negotiations over pay and work conditions, stall, Rarotonga's Air NZ staff are also raising their concerns that includes employment processes.
According to local representatives, efforts are underway to secure collective employment agreements that provide fair conditions and proper consultation.
Staff at Air New Zealand in Rarotonga say changes to working conditions and employment agreements is a breach to the Cook Islands Employment Relations Act 2012 and are not those of a fair and equitable employer.
And because they are not unionised like their counterparts in New Zealand, they are treated poorly.
Cook Islands staff represented by Te Tuhi Kelly of TCSCI LTD (Tainui Consultancy Service Cook Islands) are now pursuing a Collective Employment Agreement (CEA), rather than individual agreements, seeking fair consultation, transparency, and equity in their employment relationships.
Kelly who is acting on pro bono stated that some full-time apron workers have resigned their individual agreements under pressure.
He said Client Services Agents at check in, are incensed at being coerced into working in the Koru Lounge through a dubious interpretation in their current individual employment agreements."
"This is about ensuring workplace fairness, employee rights, and proper collective representation," he said.
He said that Air New Zealand has been put on notice that further staff action is being considered if workers are not treated fairly and equitably.
Meanwhile, workers say key issues include removal of guaranteed rest breaks, No Ten-Hour Break (NTB), poor pay processes, being called in on their Rostered Day Off (RDO) and not being paid and introduction of 'split shifts' and the list goes on, all without consultation, affecting pay and work-life balance.
Staff also claim that contracts gives the employer "sole discretion to change terms," creating harsh and inequitable conditions, lack of communication on workplace changes unlike Air New Zealand's New Zealand operations where employees are consulted.
On disputes over inconsistent annual leave entitlements, staff say that despite earlier management statements guaranteeing 20 days of annual leave, seven years ago, "Current management now claim this was a 'mistake' and say leave must be pro-rated based on hours worked, contradicting earlier assurances."
Kelly says the December 8 strike proposed by Air NZ crew could well become the catalyst for resolving the airline's ongoing employment issues.
Addrienne Hosking-Tinirau, Air NZ Country Manager Cook Islands was contacted for comment and she responded, "In line with the airlines media & communications policy I have referred your email to the airline's media team."
Cook Islands News contacted the airline's media team for comment on the matter, which they confirmed they were looking into the newspapers queries.
However, a response was not received when this article went to print.
RNZ reports that Air New Zealand is facing mounting industrial action, and that the union representing flight attendants has warned of further action after six months of talks failed to reach agreement, with staff preparing to walk off the job on 8 December.
The dispute also centres on pay, working conditions, and rostering issues, with the union's demands described as totalling millions.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, the airline has acknowledged that if the strike proceeds, it will work to support customers, including rebooking travel and arranging meals, refreshments or accommodation if necessary.
The Air NZ Chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar said the action could impact between 10,000 and 15,000 passengers.
"This next round of conversations are going to be critical. And as we get the finer details locked down, and if we do end up going down that path, the first people we'll notify are the customers," he told the NZ Herald.
Chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar said, base pay for New Zealand crew ranges from $58,000 to $85,000, though non-base allowances also contribute to total earnings.
RNZ reported that however, the Flight Attendants Association of NZ argues staff are being pressured to give up key working conditions, and that the current pay offer remains below a living wage.
The president of the Flight Attendants Association of NZ Craig Featherby said strike action was a last resort after negotiations stalled.
"Air NZ continue to invest in modernising their aircraft... it's built new lounges, rolled out new designer uniforms and returning major shareholders... What we are asking them to do is invest in their people too. This is not hundreds of millions of dollars that we are asking for, this is more the millions of dollars of additional funding."
Featherby added that further industrial action may follow, but assured passengers there would be no strikes in the week leading up to Christmas.
