Aviation negotiators in for long haul

Unions representing Air New Zealand engineering staff said yesterday they were committed to remaining at the bargaining table late into the night.

Negotiations began yesterday between the Aviation and Marine Engineers Association, E tu¯ and Air New Zealand.

The two sides hoped to reach an agreement over pay and conditions before a scheduled strike on December 21, the airline’s busiest day of the year.

Last week, aircraft maintenance engineers, aircraft logistics and related staff voted to issue strike notices in response to Air New Zealand’s proposal to resolve months of wrangling.

The association notified the airline on December 6 of a total strike by almost a thousand unionised employees. The union warned there could be further strikes if a resolution couldn’t be reached.

The announcement sparked a heated public debate between the union and the company, exposing tensions not seen for more than a decade.

Aviation industry expert Irene King said industrial relations between Air New Zealand and its workers had been publicly calm for a long time.

‘‘This action could be just as simple as union aspirations are changing. They see an opportunity

‘‘The company has been reporting significant profits.’’ Aviation commentator Irene King

to enter into a better agreement with a company that has been reporting significant profits.’’

New Zealand was an attractive destination and fuel prices had fallen, making this an attractive time to strike.

Air New Zealand’s result for the 2018 financial year, announced in August, was its second-highest.

In a statement, the association said it had been in negotiations with Air New Zealand for months.

‘‘If Air New Zealand was genuinely concerned about its customers, it would have resolved this matter early and quietly. That is good management.’’