Pacific Blue plans worry crews

[vgp]

Pacific Blue plans worry crews
By ALAN WOOD - The Press | Saturday, 19 July 2008

Pacific Blue Airlines says it remains in an expansionary phase with New Zealand operations, despite a report that its staff are fearful about being rehired following a contract change.


The airline's commercial general manager, Adrian Hamilton-Manns, said announcements would be made soon.

"We're in an expansion mode ... we've more than doubled the airline in terms of departures in the last six months, and our whole strategy for the next couple of years is actually to expand aggressively ... we are looking to make some significant announcements within the next fortnight."

Hamilton-Manns was dismissive of a report saying that speculation was rife among the staff that the budget carrier would redeploy staff from its Australian parent, Virgin Blue.

Many of 200 Pacific Blue cabin crew and pilots fear they would not be rehired by the airline after August 19, a report by The Independent on Businessday.co.nz, said yesterday.

That is because it terminated the services of contractor, Kaiapoi-based Contract Air Services, the report on the website said.

Hamilton-Manns said the airline would rearrange its contracts with New Zealand staff next month after a change in relationship with Contract Aircrew Services. Existing staff would remain with the airline.

www.stuff.co.nz/4623356a13.html

[vgp]

as mentioned in article above:
Pac Blue staff in limbo over jobs
By DENISE MCNABB - The Independent | Friday, 18 July 2008


UP IN THE AIR: Pacific Blue communications manager Phil Boeyen said today the contracts for the 200 New Zealand staff are still being finalised so no further details could be given.

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AdvertisementMany of 200 Pacific Blue cabin crew and pilots fear they will not be rehired by the airline after August 19.

That is because it terminated the services of their contractor, Kaiapoi-based Contract Air Services, yesterday from that date.

Speculation is rife among the staff that the budget carrier will redeploy staff from its Australian parent, Virgin Blue, as it cuts back its own services and delays aircraft orders, reducing the number of staff required.

Pacific Blue operates a budget trans-Tasman and domestic service out of Christchurch.

Its PR man Phil Boeyen said today staff will be hired directly by the airline but confirmed they had not yet received new contracts.

He said they will be given more details at a road show next week.

"This is a matter of changing the way we structure crew employment," he said.

"It's business as usual.

"Pacific Blue is currently working through new employment arrangements for pilots and crew members who were employed by Contract Aircrew Services Ltd. We have been communicating with team members regularly following advice from Contract Aircrew Services Ltd that due to a change in their business direction they no longer wish to be the provider of crew to Pacific Blue.

"We now have to go through a period of consultation with staff and that process could not be commenced until their former employer had formally notified them, which has now occurred/is now occurring.

"The terms and conditions we will offer crew will at a minimum match their current contracts with Contract Aircrew Services Ltd."

The crews' contracts with Contract Air Services have no redundancy clauses but staff will get lieu days and holiday pay owing.

Virgin Blue chief executive Brett Godfrey, told Australian website BusinessSpectator.com.au today the airline "will be pulling out probably about another 3 per cent of capacity" resulting in the parking of six aircraft. He also said new aircraft deliveries will be postponed as the airline continues to compensate for the fuel crisis.

Pacific Blue communications manager Phil Boeyen said today the contracts for the 200 New Zealand staff are still being finalised so no further details could be given.

Since learning yesterday of the termination of their contracts staff have been ringing media raising their concerns.

This week Australian transport company Toll Holdings gave away its 62.5 per cent stake in the parent Virgin Blue to its shareholders on the basis of one share for every Toll share they held. It also took an A$1.3 billion hit on its books for the disposal.

Merrill Lynch is forecasting Virgin Blue will make an A$75 million loss in the 2009 year.

www.businessday.co.nz/industries/4623074

[vgp]

from pprune(loved by some forum members): these are single forum posts not a single story:

There will be No more coin for Rishworth PB guys. There is talk of not renewing some contracts. VB has told its pilots that there is 4 aircraft going to PB and will be wet leased with VB crew. About to put out expressions of interest to its pilots for sacondments to NZ.

The PB contracts are being tossed in favor of some other arrangement, then one can assume that the airline is in some sort of talks with it crew re various employment models/options and Finally some more $$ .
I would have it a guess that any VB guys operating on PB routes, receiving a pay slip twice that of there Kiwi cousins, may end up causing more than one or two problems between the two groups. If the roll was reversed and VB needed to crew an additional 50% capacity overnight, I'm sure the thought of foreign crews operating VB routes at twice the pay would unsettle a wasps nest

Sorry to say lads, there are blokes at VB that would sell their mother and fly for nothing. They will have no trouble at all crewing these aircraft with VB crew, no problems at all. The only thing that may stop VB from crewing these aircraft is their EBA which only covers Domestic Ops in Aus, its on page one of the document! Yet as usual, the Feds will roll over and take it like a W@#$E. I can see it now, "If we can cover VAus pilots, you can have the VB crews for wet lease".

Dirty sometimes you speak things rationally sometimes you just speak sh*t buddy. WHO do VB guys owe anything to regarding PB? I think you should probably look at the PB history of start up etc before tossing that one around.

PB contractors are that.. contractors. The fact is VB are sending 4 A/C over there that cannot be crewed by PB due numbers. Therefore the crew will be going also. Of coarse it is on current conditions for VB guys. It is a secondment. It may surprise a few but this is not new either. Not long after PB first started and heap of VB drivers went over there for 8 months. The AFAP knew that then and know now also, They put out a letter this week about it. They will not put a fight up as it is not taking PB jobs. It is increased capacity that cannot be crewed by them. As for pays well sorry but if you sign a contract you are accepting your individual conditions despite what anyone else has. (A good warning for future VA guys actually) As for causing a stir thats nonsense. Nothing will happen at all. Infact nearly all PB crew have applications with VB anyway.

Well unfortunately thats tough luck. Its a fact of life that the VB crews are more interested (as they should be) in the job security of its own pilot group not that of the contractors that were brought in to do the flying that was promised to the VB crews in the first place for half the wages. There is no malice or bad intentions but in the end the survival and security of the VB pilots is their concern. As someone else said you take a contract you take the risk. VB crew don't owe anything to PB crew.
Infact I dont think its out of the question that Vb crews could possibly be doing all the PB flying in the near future. But again I think you will find most Vb crew would have the attitude thats only the flying they were promised (to their faces) anyway.
Personally I would rather see all PB crew intergrated into VB and I think no one else would mind either (long as they go in as FOs, plus they still need EMB fos). In the end time will tell i guess.


ps Yes VB crew will be operating internationally from Nov also

www.pprune.org/forums/d-g-reporting-points/334956-pacific-blue-no-crew-2.html

[globemaster]

"We're in an expansion mode ... we've more than doubled the airline in terms of departures in the last six months, and our whole strategy for the next couple of years is actually to expand aggressively ... we are looking to make some significant announcements within the next fortnight."

Read those words ! A case of watch this space.....

You'll find most PB crew knew this would happen long ago and after speaking with a few it doesnt seem alot to worry over if you can use ya head and work out whats happening......

Poor hot blond F/As

[Dave Homewood]

They've dobled departures, but what about arrivals? Is thispart of the brai drain? ;D

[flyjoe180]

It's all speculation. I'm sure ALPA are onto getting a single contract sorted on behalf of Pacific Blue pilots.

[vgp]

Got to be better than the present than the 2 different contract company employer set up they have at present, what about a change to employee instead of contractor whereas employment laws are pretty lapse towards nee employed contractee.

[globemaster]

An update on the situation for those interested.

Pacific Blue have sent an e-mail to all Pilots and Cabin Crew regarding the situation. I wont post the original email but just say that Pacific Blue will now be offering Crew with a direct contract to the airline with the option to accept or decline. Pacific Blue says the airline will now have a better relationship with its employees and will be able to offer more. It will take a few more days to best structure and finalize the contracts though from reading it looks on the ups.

[vgp]

Thanks for that Flyboi.