Six flights in and out of Avalon Airport are set to be cancelled this weekend due to Jetstar workers walking off the job, according to the airline.
Jetstar’s pilots will engage in a series of four-hour strikes on Saturday and Sunday following industrial action over “stalled pay rise negotiations”.
Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) executive director Simon Lutton said the union has been “genuinely negotiating” with Jetstar for almost 12 months.
“The company remains unwilling to shift on any of the pilot’s pay and conditions such as rostering,” he said.
“We are hoping to resume discussions with the company to reach an agreement so that no further action needs to be taken after this period.”
But Jetstar chief executive Gareth Evans said “strong arm AFAP tactics” would not change the airline’s stance.
“We remain committed to reaching a new agreement to support the great work our pilots do every day, but not any cost,” he said.
“(The) work stoppages this weekend are completely unjustifiable and cynically timed to hurt travellers at the busiest travel time of the year.”
Mr Evan’s said the AFAP’s demands for a “15 per cent pay increase in the first year” would put “significant pressure” on the low fares provided by the budget airline.
“Our captains earn on average over $300,000 a year and we are offering a three per cent annual increase. This is 40 per cent above Australia’s annual wage growth,” he said.
Jetstar said they will offer refunds and alternative flights if services are cancelled or delayed by more than three hours.
The airline’s baggage handlers and ground crew will also strike for two two-hour stoppages today, protesting poor conditions and pay rates, according to Victoria’s Transport Workers Union (TWU).
Jetstar workers at the local airport will go on strike between 8.30am to 10.30am and 6.30pm to 8.30pm, after 94 per cent of staff voted in favour for the industrial action, TWU said.
TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said the strike resembles a “united stand” against “poverty wages”.
“Ground crew are given as few as 20 hours guaranteed a week with rates so low that their families are forced to struggle,” he said.
“The company cannot continue to make money off the backs of its workers.”
