Qantas beats strike by air catering staff

Press, 17 January 1986, Page 4

Qantas beats strike by air catering staff

PA Auckland At least one airline beat the Air New Zealand catering staff strike yesterday by ordering extra in-flight meals from Australia. The New Zealand manager for Qantas, Mr Des Church, said extra food was arranged in Sydney and Melbourne for the three Qantas flights which left New Zealand. “We were a little short on one to Brisbane, but in general we were able to provide something for passengers,” he said. There would be no problem today, as Qantas would double-eater its flights in Australia. Most of the 16 international flights out of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports yesterday had no meals and drinks aboard. About 300 Air New Zea-

land kitchen staff in the three cities went on strike at 7 a.m. in protest at the lack of progress in their award talks. They will remain off work until tomorrow morning. The action affects all international flights, as catering for overseas airlines is contracted to Air New Zealand.

A spokesman for Air New Zealand said it was giving passengers booked on its flights $2O each to buy meals either in New Zealand or at their destinations.

The award talks collapsed in Auckland yesterday. Auckland Airport’s 200 catering workers voted to strike immediately, and by 9 a.m. they were picketing Air New Zealand House in Queen Street. The secretary of the Northern Hotel and Hospital Workers’ Union, Mr Rick

Barker, accused Air New Zealand of “conning” the union over the talks.

"We gave up work-to-rules and overtime bans on this matter in December on the understanding that the company would make significant progress in its position,” he said. The main differences in the dispute include pay rates and the use of casual workers in the flight kitchen.

The Air New Zealand spokesman said that no flights would be cancelled.

Another spokesman said the strike was illegal because 14 days notice had not been given, and because industrial action was unlawful when award talks were in progress. “They are seeking parity with ground stewards on points that do not apply to catering staff,” the spokesman said.