Regional Express : Rex Exposes Pilot Union’s Hypocrisy

7 JUNE 2022

MEDIA RELEASE

REX EXPOSES PILOT UNION'S HYPOCRISY

Rex said today it was beyond belief that the pilot's union had rejected a pay rise offer, which was substantially better than the one they accepted from QantasLink in late 2021.

The airline said it was disappointing the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) had applied to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) for permission to hold a ballot on taking Protected Industrial Action (PIA).

"Just last September, the AFAP agreed to a 2% pay rise in 2021 and 2022 for QantasLink pilots saying, 'we are pleased to have arrived at a pragmatic outcome for the QantasLink pilot group'. Rex on the other hand has offered its SAAB pilots a 5.1% pay rise from 1 July 2022, plus significant catch-up payments worth another 8% once the business is profitable again," Rex Deputy Chairman, the Hon John Sharp AM, said.

"The AFAP's double standard clearly demonstrates that it is not really interested in protecting its members' interest but rather in pursuing its own agenda."

"We believe the vast majority of our pilots are company-minded and can see through the hypocrisy of the AFAP. Rex is the only airline that has not retrenched any of its pilots and it has stood by them through the difficult COVID years. We believe that they will stand by the Company during this period where the recovery is nascent and the Company is still fragile," Mr Sharp added.

Rex is Australia's largest independent regional and domestic airline operating a fleet of 60 Saab 340 and 6 Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft to 62 destinations throughout all states in Australia. In addition to the airline Rex, the Rex Group comprises wholly owned subsidiaries Pel-Air Aviation (air freight, aeromedical and charter operator) and the two pilot academies, Australian Airline Pilot Academy in Wagga Wagga and Ballarat.

Rex Media Contact: +61 402 438 361, media@rex.com.au