Fair Work Australia has today made a final determination on employment terms and conditions for around 1,600 licensed aircraft maintenance engineers which will remain in place until 31 December 2014.

Fair Work Australia has endorsed the proposed workplace determination which Qantas and the Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) presented Fair Work Australia in late December for its consideration.

Qantas Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said Qantas was pleased that an agreement had finally been reached and that Qantas had maintained the flexibility needed to operate competitively in the global aviation industry.

“After such a damaging industrial campaign by the licensed aircraft maintenance engineers’ union last year, it is a relief that this issue has finally drawn to a close,” Mr Joyce said.

“This is a positive outcome that will allow Qantas to move forward with certainty and allow our customers to continue to book with confidence. The union cannot take any industrial action before 2015.

“The determination from Fair Work Australia does not contain any of the restrictive demands that would have handed control of parts of the airline to the union however it provides reasonable pay increases to our workers.”

Mr Joyce said that the arbitration process with the pilots’ union and Transport Workers’ Union was continuing before Fair Work Australia.

“Our message to customers is that you can continue to book with Qantas with absolute confidence,” he said.

“Irrespective of the timeframe for the Fair Work Australia process, the unions are unable to take industrial action for the period of arbitration and for the period of the EBA determination – which could be up to four years.”

Details of the determination include:
– 3 per cent pay increase per annum
– New licensing arrangements
– Changes which ease restrictions on extended hours rosters
– Arrangements for the transition to retirement for licenced engineers