2024 ALAEA PRESIDENT REPORT

Dec 18, 2024 | Featured on front page, General, News

Dear ALAEA Members,

It has been a year marked by both challenges and triumphs, and through it all, there have been significant successes for our members and a turning point for positive change to be made at the ALAEA.

The ALAEA has always relied on members from the floor to call out what needs to be done, to step up and assist their colleagues in need or unite with resolve to reach necessary outcomes. Having an active and engaged membership and representative network across all sectors and workplaces, in our industry is paramount. If you are considering becoming a rep please reach out, you will have a committed and professional support network behind you. For existing reps there will be a lot of training rolled out next year, for both initial and advanced Rep’s courses. I hope you can get involved. Thanks for all you do, you are all critical to successful outcomes and upholding the integrity of our industry.

I would like to acknowledge and thank each of the ALAEA Executive, who have been resolute in their pursuit to uphold the rectitude of the ALAEA while always maintaining the best interests of all members. Importantly, the ALAEA Executive are volunteers who sacrifice a lot of their personal and family time to help others and for the betterment of our industry. The last 18 months have been particularly taxing on each of them.

The ALAEA Executive has recently been collaborating with the ALAEA staff to restructure the Association to provide a more effective service to all our members. Details around these changes will be forthcoming early in the new year. We are all excited about the prospective improvements and benefits for our members and staff alike.

I would also like to welcome Luke Murray as Senior Vice President. Unfortunately, we couldn’t secure a new Virgin Councillor this time around. However, there will soon be nominations sent out for the Federal Secretary position (currently being filled by Assistant Fed Sec Peter Gill) and a Virgin Councillor. The Qantas Aligned Regional Councillor (Jq/Qlink) voting ends today.

The ALAEA staff have also endured a lot this year and done a remarkable job to achieve so many great outcomes for our members. Below is just some of their achievements. On behalf of the ALAEA Executive and members, thank you for your dedication and always being the consummate professionals.

There have been some assertions that the ALAEA is a Qantas only union, I can say categorically that this is not the case. Nor was the ALAEA shut down for business at any stage this year. As can be seen by the reports from our staff on what has been accomplished. Please see below just some of the achievements-

Overall, we’ve won (or settled favourably) the vast majority of disputes we’ve run this year.  Despite the difficulties we have all faced, the ALAEA has recovered several million dollars for our members in underpayments of entitlements and wages. There have been a number of disciplinary investigations, most of which were resolved with minor sanctions or no punitive action. Only a small percentage ended in dismissal. There were several maintenance error investigations, the majority resulted in no disciplinary sanctions. Many individual contracts were also negotiated.

These are just some of the disputes cover throughout 2024-

  1. Leave entitlements.
  2. Pay levels;
  3. Disciplinary processes;
  4. Maintenance investigation processes;
  5. Public holiday absences;
  6. General protections
  7. FWAs;
  8. Contracting out;
  9. Bullying matters;
  10. EA contraventions;
  11. Provision of medical information and directions to see company doctors;
  12. Payroll errors;
  13. Roster disputes;
  14. Training path disputes;
  15. Classification disputes;
  16. Industrial Action;
  17. TOIL;
  18. Workers compensation;

The ALAEA team has also negotiated a considerable number of enterprise agreements with vastly improved wages and/or entitlements. 

  • The Alliance Airlines BNE– EA was approved by the Fair Work Commission on 4th December 2024, with a 4-year term, shift and roster provisions written into the EA for the first time, with wage rates for LAMEs varying between $144 000 and $182 000 depending on type and shift allowances. 
  • Alliance Airlines Adelaide – a Log of claims was developed by ALAEA rep Steve Pope and members in October/November 2024 and served on the Company by the ALAEA on 4 December 2024. With the Christmas period looming, it is anticipated we will meet with the Company in February 2025, to commence bargaining.

 

  • Alliance Airlines Rockhampton – EA negotiations are ongoing; however, the company has issued an inferior EA than the Brisbane for a ballot on 9 December 2024. ALAEA rep Ian De Lepervanche in conjunction with the ALAEA ran a no vote Campaign, which was successful, to bring the company back to the bargaining table.
  • Alliance Airlines Perth – EA negotiations are approaching a mature stage. Bargaining commenced in August 2024. With the upcoming Christmas holiday period the parties have mutually agreed to pause bargaining until February 2025.
  • Jet Aviation East Sale VIC – EA – Approved by the Fair Work Commission 11 December 2024. To bring LAMEs wages up to 130, 000 PA
  • Offshore Services Australasia – CHC Helicopters – EA – Negotiations are in progress. The ALAEA is strongly advocating parity between OSA LAMEs and CHCLAMEs – at this point of negotiations the company, metaphorically speaking, is treating OSA LAMEs as the poor cousins of CHC offering an inferior deal. PIA maybe necessary early next year to improve the offer.
  • Auriga Aviation– The EA was voted up by a 95.5% majority. It’s a first-generation EA and offers an uplift of 10-17% for most members with, paid meal breaks and full DTA. This was achieved with a fair amount of PIA shared between ALAEA and OA members.
  • Eastern Australia Airlines– We were able to get one of the first Intractable Bargaining Declarations ever issued after extensive conciliation in the Commission. Whilst the outcome cannot be disclosed it was amenable to the vast majority of members. Early this year EAA management decided not to pay a certain allowance under the relevant enterprise agreement, and to which the ALAEA held that our member were entitled. Admittedly, the allowance was quite small in terms of its amount, however, as a matter of principle, it needed to be pursued. Accordingly, as a result of management’s decision and action, the ALAEA filed an application in the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to have the matter arbitrated. Ultimately, the matter settled on a without prejudice basis and our members will continue to be paid the allowance.
  • Virgin Tech– Early this year the ALAEA was informed of a matter where a Virgin member was singled out for disciplinary action, in which the member consequently received a warning letter, for a matter that also involved others. It was a matter in which ‘what was good for the goose should have applied to the gander’. Unfortunately, for other reasons, in this matter the ALAEA was not able to initiate legal proceedings to try and legally compel Virgin to withdraw its warning. Nevertheless, the ALAEA made it explicitly clear to Virgin that if this member or any other Virgin members are again the subject of disciplinary action which is unjustified, or where ‘differential treatment’ arises, that the ALAEA will not hesitate to take the requisite and available legal action to remedy such a situation. We were able to secure back pay for VT members concerning First Aid Allowance, LSL and Tool Allowance. We still have a few matters on foot with Virgin that we hope to complete in the new year. 
  • VARA– We have assisted members with disciplinary matters, settled a training list dispute and the assisted the JCC in bringing the training list into order. With EA negotiations to begin shortly the ALAEA, JCC and members are mindful of being prepared.
  • Anonymous Victorian Helicopter Operation– In April, a long-term member (who wants to remain anonymous) was facing numerous, detailed, and very questionable allegations of misconduct. The same resulted in a considerably lengthy disciplinary investigation and which effectively destroyed the employment relationship where our member was concerned. Through careful and strategic negotiations in which the ALAEA held the employer to account, our member was able to exit the operation with his reputation intact and fair compensation.
  • Sky Traders– In October, and without any consultation, members at Sky Traders were unilaterally directed by management to undertake CASA approved Cabin Crew training. The purpose of this direction was to enable LAMEs performing the role of a ‘flying spanner’ to also perform the additional role of a Cabin Crew member on the flight. In response the ALAEA wrote to management and unequivocally informed them that their direction was not a lawful and reasonable direction. Consequentially, management was put on notice not to take any disciplinary action against our members for lawfully refusing their training direction, and if they did, the ALAEA would take immediate legal action in defence of our members. Management, consequently, withdrew their direction.
  • REX Administration– Unfortunately, which in our opinion was consequence of a poor business decision, REX went into administration, and it remains the case. Throughout this arduous ordeal the ALAEA has provided (and will continue to provide) legal advice to affected members in relation to their employment rights, particularly in relation to the security of their entitlements. Our advice and representation have also extended to members who have been affected as individuals.
  • Heston MRO– In October, the ALAEA was informed by a member that he had been underpaid by the company. As a result of representation, the company rectified the underpayment.
  • Jetstar- In September, the ALAEA notified the company of a dispute stretching back to the COVID stand-downs, where affected members required to travel to Avalon were not paid the travel allowance under the relevant Jetstar enterprise agreement. It is now highly likely that the ALAEA will file an application in the FWC; further, that the matter proceeds to arbitration unless an acceptable offer of settlement is received.
  • Sunstate – a new EA negotiated by the ALAEA came into force from 5 February 2024 that brought in a revised classification structure and annual January pay increases through to January 2027.
  • CASA – after months of negotiations, a new CASA EA was finally approved and came into operation from 11 March 2024 which included an initial backdated 4% increase from November 2023. ALAEA involvement in consultation forums enabled under the Agreement.
  • Cathay Pacific – negotiations for a replacement EA have been underway since September this year and the parties are hoping to have a finalised EA package that can go to a vote in the first quarter of 2025.
  • Babcock MCSA – negotiations for a replacement EA commenced in September this year and are ongoing with a further 2 day meeting scheduled for 22/23 January 2025.
  • RFDS WA – negotiations for a replacement EA commenced in late August and are ongoing with the aim of trying to reach a finalised EA package in the first quarter of 2025.
  • Leidos – the ALAEA and members detected an error in the EA pay tables for the agreement approved in 2023 and brought this to the Company’s attention and the relevant tables were subsequently corrected in a Fair Work Commission variation decision from Commissioner Lee on 6 May this year.
  • LifeFlight – EA negotiations for a replacement EA commenced in November and are ongoing with the next EA meeting scheduled to occur on 29 January.
  • Toll Helicopters – the ALAEA has commenced a consultation process with members for the next Toll Helicopters EA and formal negotiations with the Company for a replacement Agreement are expected to commence in early 2025.

 

Maintenance Repair Organisation- MRO Conference:

The ALAEA was invited to speak at the MRO Australasia conference in Brisbane in November. Our Legal Officer, Glynn Sowter did an outstanding job in utilising this opportunity to engage with employers on issues concerning pay for LAMEs, the need for more apprenticeships and career progression for AMEs. 

Aircraft Engineers International- AEI Congress

In October this year, the ALAEA hosted the AEI’s 52nd Annual Congress. It was an excellent event that was coordinated by ALAEA GA Councillor Chris Burleigh who is also the AEI General Secretary. It was an excellent opportunity to meet and discuss with affiliates from all around the world issues pertaining to our industry- which are ironically very similar. It is also an opportunity to collaborate and develop strategies to combat these issues.

Aerospace Maintenance Competition- AMC

Each year the ALAEA sends out nominations to all members giving them the opportunity to represent Australia and the ALAEA at AMC in America. It is an amazing event that allows our members from all over our country and various workplaces to experience the aircraft maintenance on a scale like no other. From all accounts, this experience is a career highlight that will never be forgotten. The ALAEA has been involved in the event since its inception, we are highly regarded by many of the international competitors as was evidenced this year by us winning the ‘Peer Team Award”. The late ALAEA President, Paul Cousins, championed the ALAEA’s inclusion at this event and has the “Best International Team” award named after him. It is also an excellent opportunity to network with organisations like the ALAEA and proudly fly the ‘Aussie’ flag

Snap-On Sponsorship

ALAEA Councillors, Steve Fotoulis and Chris Burleigh have done a lot of great work to secure a relationship between the ALAEA and Snap- On that allows us to offer a sponsorship to one AME and one apprentice each year. This sees the successful candidates getting a very considerable tool kit and money towards education costs.

As we move forward, all of us at the ALAEA remain committed to our mission of servicing the members best interests and look forward to capitalising on the strong foundation we have established over many years. On behalf of the ALAEA Executive and staff I would like to thank you for your continued support and wish you all a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

Kind Regards,

Rodney Wyse

Federal President