The Flight Attendants Association (FAANZ) says problems with Air New Zealand's planes and services are creating extra headaches for staff working to look after passengers at 38,000 feet.
By Bill Hickman of RNZ
Flight attendants working aboard the airline's B777 and B787 long range aircraft will stop work for three strikes on 11, 12 and 13 February.
The airline said it was looking to balance the contributions of crew members against the "challenging economic times" and international cabin crews had a unique work and compensation structure.
FAANZ president Craig Featherby said — despite months of bargaining and two rounds of mediation through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment — Air New Zealand had been unable to present a satisfactory pay offer to international cabin crews.
"The company has offered a pay increase that would see crew just hit the living wage. With inflation continuing to bite, many flight attendants are concerned they'll be back below a liveable wage within a short time," Featherby said.
He said the airline was failing to prioritise its staff and passengers - leaving it up to crews to address problems, often at 38,000 feet in the air.
"Flights are repeatedly impacted by preventable issues: lack of catering and limited choice, missing equipment to effectively look after customers, inoperative seats, and broken cabin features, alongside higher than usual cancellations.
"Flight attendants, as the face of the airline, are constantly having to work around these issues and apologise to passengers who have paid premium fares to fly with the national carrier," Featherby said.
He said the latest pay offers from the airline were asking flight attendants to work harder and give up hard-earned terms and conditions in their current contracts in exchange for any "meaningful improvement" in wages.
"The company is sending a clear message to those who represent its front-line — that they are undervalued, despite carrying the weight of the operation every day.
"Air New Zealand must recognise that flight attendants are integral to the airline's success. They're safety professionals and ambassadors for the company. It's time the board and executive team realise that their front-line staff — on the ground, in the call centres and in the air — need real investment," Featherby said.
E tū union assistant national secretary Rachel Mackintosh said many of the airline's long range crews had been with Air New Zealand "for decades" and did not take striking lightly.
"Pay for flight attendants has not been good enough for a long time and they are really aware that they are the factor that makes the airline a great airline. They have been pushing Air New Zealand for a long time and this really is a last resort," Mackintosh said.
Air New Zealand chief people officer Nikki Dines said the assertion that crews were paid below the living wage was not accurate.
She said the airline's latest offer increased base salaries by a range of 4.14% to 6.41%.
"Their base salary provides a consistent income, regardless of the hours they fly. In addition to their base salary, cabin crew receive payments and allowances to recognise additional responsibilities, time away from home, and longer duties. They also receive further allowances to support them while they are away from home," Dines said.
Dines said the airline would work to support customers and minimise disruptions as much as possible if the strikes went ahead.
"We'll contact any affected travellers directly as soon as more information becomes available and encourage everyone travelling during this period to check their booking details are up to date and to sign up for our Travel Alerts service," Dines said.
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