Solidarity sit-in

More than a dozen unions led by the Transport Workers' Union of Australia (TWU), the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and the Rail, Bus and Tram Union (RBTU) held a protest today in Brisbane in support of Air New Zealand workers campaign for equal pay.
The NZ Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) has engaged in industrial action with Air New Zealand after the airline created a company, Zeal, to contract work to. The pay disparity means flight attendants at Zeal paid tens of thousands of dollars a year less than those employed directly by Air New Zealand.
TWU Federal Secretary, Tony Sheldon, said that for Air New Zealand to start up a company it wholly owns just to cut the wages of loyal employees is not an acceptable way for people to be doing business.
“We have major airlines in the region who outsourcing work to the lowest bidder in recent times, and that has created a security threat on our shores,” Mr Sheldon said.

National Secretary of the MUA and Vice President of the Asia-Pacific section of the International Transport Federation, Paddy Crumlin, today said that the action was about supporting other workers in a sector that was suffering in the global finance crisis.

“It is important that all transport workers, and in fact all trade unions, to make sure that there is an international network to support these workers and stop others becoming victims,” Mr Crumlin said.

“We need to display our solidarity and communicate our determination to go the distance with those workers,” Mr Crumlin said.

“Airlines like Air New Zealand are protected in their operations by their respective governments and taxpayers through regulation, and those airlines have a responsibility to return the favour," Mr Sheldon said.
“Without their loyal staff, airlines would not be the success that they are and Air New Zealand needs to acknowledge that and look after them.”