\u201cCabin crew are the face of the airline. They welcome people to the country, keep passengers safe, and support travellers in all sorts of situations. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey worked through huge challenges, including job losses during Covid, and they deserve respect and a fair wage,\u201d Wood said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead, they are not paid enough for what they do and the hours they work, with current guaranteed base salaries of around $60,000,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCrew are expected to trade away hard-won conditions, while the company is in the middle of a $100 million share buy-back<\/a>. It\u2019s unreasonable, and our members have had enough.\u201d<\/p>\n He said members were not asking for \u201cexecutive salaries\u201d but for a fair deal that reflects their skills, responsibilities, and the real cost of living<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cAir NZ needs to come to the table with a proper mandate to settle.\u201d<\/p>\n Wood said the union hoped to avoid taking strike action by reaching agreement in ongoing negotiations.<\/p>\n \u201cThe best way to avoid any disruption is for Air NZ to sit down with us in good faith and negotiate a fair outcome, and we encourage people to send a message to the company showing their support for cabin crew.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re ready to work hard in the coming weeks to reach a settlement and prevent any strike action. The company needs to do the same.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier today, Air New Zealand chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar said E t\u016b told the airline there might be some industrial action. <\/p>\n \u201cHowever, no formal notice of a strike has been received.\u201d<\/p>\n