The union representing Virgin Australia pilots has urged continued negotiations after its members rejected the airline’s contract offer.
Nearly two-thirds of pilots voted against the new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement put forward by the carrier, the Virgin International Pilots’ Association says.
“The Virgin Australia pilot group has spoken loud and clear,” union executive director Simon O’Hara told Sky News. “This vote sends a very clear message to all parties involved that the pilot group wants the negotiations for a replacement pilots’ EBA to resume and for Virgin Australia to table a better offer.”
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Dan
says:This will be good to watch. Let’s see of they have the same pain as Qantas does with the union. Will this lead to some sort of strike if they do not get their way……
Dan
says:This will be good to watch. Let’s see if they have the same pain as Qantas does with the union. Will this lead to some sort of strike if they do not get their way……
Dane
says:How much do they currently receive and what was the offer they knocked back?
Glynn
says:Greedy greedy pilots
NJP
says:Don’t screw the pooch. Half the problem with QF are the legacy contracts
Aido
says:So it seems a pay rise of between 5% and 10% isn’t enough. What a joke these people are. Did they learn nothing from Qantas?
Nikee
says:What makes you people think that the EBA got voted down due to money???
Clive @ Kensington
says:Re-Glynn – Greedy Greedy pilots.
Let me see; who would you rather be flown by a well trained, adaquetly paid pilot or a low paid, poorly paid pilot?
I know who I would rather fly with as you only get one life.
CD
John
says:None of you have any idea what you’re talking about. Until you’ve read the document IN FULL how can you have an opinion? Oh that’s right, it’s easier just to perpetuate the myth that airlines pilots are over paid and under worked. What a pack of sheep you all are.
Curious
says:Glynn, I’m curious why you think pilots are greedy. You’ve made the comment with no facts or evidence to back up that statement. It also would appear that you’ve grouped all pilots in the same boat (so to speak). That’s a pretty big generalisation.
I’ve not yet read any talk that the contract offer rejection was based on remuneration offers, it may well have been for any number of other reasons.
Bob
says:Where can we see what the new rejected contract is or who it compares to the current one?
SYD_Perspective
says:@Glynn;
It’s a bit rich of you to comment in such a way… Calling “all pilots greedy” If you had to endure the years of training, and constant retesting throughout your career, not to mention the responsibility that rest’s on a pilots shoulders ie: people’s lives + the millions of $$$ in company equipment – how can you then justify the earning capacity of corporate accountants, lawyers and middle managers. Stop and think before you make rash statements. In my eyes pilots deserve the money they earn, compared to the slash and burn corporate accountants and lawyers.
Dan
says:Don’t assume it’s all over money people.
Brendan
says:Pay peanuts, get monkeys. The only people that whinge about unions, are the people that are not in one. Let’s see how peanuts pay for today’s cost of living.
Clint
says:Are you serious? If people are struggling with the cost of living these days don’t include yourself. Your at the top of the pay scale while everyone else is struggling. Ha! Pilots struggling against the cost of living. Yes you may have to buy a Toyota as opposed to that Audi. Struggling!
John
says:Don’t start a class war. This EBA wasn’t voted down because of pay either. Why is it that pilots are the only ones who cop this “you earn too much money” tirade? How much should a pilot earn my friend?
Benji
says:The generalization that pilots are greedy comes from the fact that whenever they don’t get exactly what they want they reject it. I know for a fact Virgin and Qantas are paid well and the conditions are good compared to international airlines eg, USA. In Aus lifestyle is considered which is why there is a choice for airport or city hotels. Not in the USA. I’m afraid until one of our major airlines goes bust none of these show ponies will learn anything…. But then again if the intelligent pilots of American Airlines are anything to go by, their ignorance wouldn’t have shifted a bit.
Dan
says:I would love to know what a 737 pilot for Qantas compared to Virgin earn. Also what do 767 + 747 + A380 pilots earn as a comparison to each other. I have heard 767 pilots are on $150k + but deserve every bit of it. Can any one confirm the averages out there?
Michael
says:Virgin pilots operarating B737 earn more than $150,000 a year
Nikee
says:I’ll say it again, this EBA was not rejected due to the remuneration offer!!!!!
As far as what pilots get paid (or any other profession for that matter), it’s simple – supply and demand. If the industry is flooded with people willing to do it for less, then remuneration will be reduced. If there is a shortage of pilots and the companies have to start parking aircraft, then the only other option is to increase the salaries in order to attract pilots from other companies.
Draxxo
says:I also believe that this has very little to do with pay. Virgin pilots are not greedy/stupid/lazy and they well understand the commercial pressures felt by airlines around the world; they don’t want to end up like Qantas either! The rejection of this EBA could be down to a disagreement on some of the more subtle rules offered. It might be something as simple as leave stability or roster fairness etc. These minor disagreements are easily fixed and I suspect that a new offer will be presented and accepted in the near future. This is a very typical course of events between pilots and airlines and it’s not always about the money!
James from Sydney
says:I work in IT and earn what the average pilot earns. Given the tremendous amount of responsibly on their shoulders compared to what I have to do I’m surprised they don’t earn more.
I suspect people who have an issue with pilot wages suffers from income envy.
I think there should be two areas you don’t compromise on in aviation. Pilots and maintenance.
Ben
says:I find it hard to believe that you earn over $150,000 as an IT professional unless you own the business and you definitely don’t earn over $400,000 which is what the average QF long haul captain gets. Yes this is true that they have a great amount of responsibility but it goes both ways. Pay too little and accidents occur, pay too much and the company goes bankrupt. There is a medium for all businesses to stand by. It’s okay to say pay them whatever they want but at the end of the day your average passenger pays for the cheapest ticket available. As per recent surveys, only the minority of passengers consider safety when booking a ticket.
Len
says:All this yammering about pilot salaries……..
Have a reality check & take look at the obscene remunerations of company CEO’s and the legal profession, who in reality produce bugger all.
Do you think that is equitable?
I wonder if you would begrudge a pilot’s salary while being flown through a thunderstorm.
Tony Mundine said once; ‘On the ground I think you guys are fat cats; up here in the plane I reckon you aren’t paid enough”.
Annette
says:Suddenly everybody has an opinion about the so called ‘greedy pilots’. Does anybody out there remember the Pilots Dispute of 1989……??? In my books they deserve every dollar they are paid and then some more. Until you ‘walk in their shoes’ some of you really shouldn’t go to print with such disparaging remarks. If you compare this group of professional’s monenatry worth against the outcomes of our politicians you would have to agree the pilots are grossly underpaid.
Ben
says:Hawke was on the money. Pilots are glorified bus drivers
Peter
says:We have had a failure of a major australian airline, I think it was called Ansett though perhaps our collective memories are a little short.
It is all about supply & demand as I am sure any truck driver on our mine sites can attest to. If you want highly skilled professionals flying your aircraft you are going to have to pay for it.