Jetstar’s Joyce considers legal action against pilots’ union
Media reports today say that Jetstar CEO Alan Joyce will take legal action against the Qantas pilots union, the Australian and International Pilots Association if it continues to get its facts wrong.
Describing the union’s comments as lunatic, the union responded by accusing Mr Joyce of employing a divide and conquer strategy by erecting a wall between Qantas mainline and Jetstar pilots.
Mr Joyce issued what was described as a very strongly word memo to his staff in which he described the Union’s Federal Count action claiming Jetstar’s current operation breaches the Qantas Sale Act as frivolous and that the airline would vigorously defend its brand.
He said, “We believe this Statement of Claim by AIPA has no merit, is frivolous and if it continues, will waste both the dollars of the union and its members and generate unnecessary costs against our company”.
Adding that the rise in disparaging remarks against management, the airline’s capabilities and personnel was particularly galling, he said, “I can assure you that the company will do what it can to support any Jetstar employee who feels that their professional and personal integrity is being publicly challenged by AIPA and its spokespeople”. “This includes potential legal action against the Association where deemed appropriate.” “As CEO of the airline I will not stand for AIPA publicly making false statements against individual employees.”
Quoting examples of allegedly false statements, Mr Joyce quoted the claim by the Union that Jetstar’s GM Operations was a seconded Qantas second officer when, in fact, he was an experienced captain and that this was one of five incorrect claims made by the union recently, including statements in a Senate committee about pilot licence renewal and the amount of time taken to complete command training.
He said, “Ongoing comments by AIPA about the airline are simply ridiculous and show the depths the Association is prepared to go to discredit our airline and our people”.
Although AIPA has about 30 Jetstar it does not have a formal agreement with the airline not a party to the existing collective enterprise agreement, with agreements negotiated between Jetstar and the Jetstar Pilot Council, although the Australian Federation of Air Pilots represents 120 pilots and is a party to the airline’s agreement.
It is anticipated that the variance in working conditions and pay between Qantas and Jetstar staff, crew and pilots and will continue to be a serious issue, potentially escalating between the carriers and the various unions as the Qantas Group seek to lower operating costs in all areas.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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