Dear Sisters and Brothers:
Your Qantas Airways Negotiating Committee has just concluded Round 27 of negotiations. This high-stakes, three-day session was held from May 12–14 directly at the Qantas Hangar in Los Angeles. Throughout these meetings, our message to management remained clear and unyielding: Solidarity is not just a word; it is our primary defense.
On the first day of meetings, the Union engaged in direct, forceful conversations with Company leadership regarding the unjust termination of Union Committee Member Ed Berg. We have made our position absolute: the charges brought against Ed are completely baseless and lack any modicum of independent proof. An injury to one is an injury to all. We will not allow management to target the representatives who fight for your contract. Your committee will continue to fight this decision with every resource at our disposal until Ed is fully reinstated. If you, the Qantas membership, will not stand for Ed, then you will all fall for anything. Stand united and let your voices be heard in the hangar.
Despite the critical focus on member protection, your committee remained diligent on the “bread and butter” items of your contract. During day one, we passed Article 18, which covers membership in the IAM Union.
While we continue to push for a Tentative Agreement on Article 36 (Benefits) and Article 18, several critical provisions remain at the center of our focus:
- Rates of Pay & Wage Rules
- Travel on Duty / Training / Remote Support
- Work-Life Balance provisions
The next round of negotiations is scheduled to take place in PHX during the week of June 22. Additional dates throughout October are being discussed. Once agreed upon, they will be communicated.
Sincerely and fraternally,
| John M. Coveny, Jr. President/Directing General Chair | James M. Samuel General Chair | Boris Kochanoff General Chair |
| Edward Berg IAM Union Consultant | Saneel Kumer LAME/Qantas Airways LAX | Miguel Maldonado SAME/Qantas Airways LAX |