Around 1250 E tū cabin crew across the international, domestic, and regional fleets will stop work for 24 hours on Monday, 8 December.
Unions have been negotiating with Air NZ since April.
Crew are unhappy with Air NZ’s latest offer, saying it does not reflect the responsibilities, pressures, or fatigue risks that come with their work.
An anonymous crew member said Air NZ was expecting more from crew without addressing core safety and fatigue concerns.
“Air New Zealand is prioritising efficiency over crew wellbeing,” they said.
“They’re asking us to be more productive when our rosters are already stretched, and that increases the risk of fatigue. Fatigue in aviation is dangerous, affecting the safety of both crew and passengers.”
“We’re also being asked to trade away hard-won conditions just to get an inflation-level pay rise, and that isn’t a fair deal.”
The staffer said the overall mood across the fleet has been steadily deteriorating.
“Right now, morale is low. Crew feel disconnected from management, undervalued, and ignored. The company talks about people being its biggest asset, but the offer on the table doesn’t show that.”
Air NZ said it received formal strike notices from E tū and FAANZ on behalf of around 80 percent of its cabin crew.
Air NZ chief executive officer Nikhil Ravishankar said strike action on regional fleets is planned to take place at various times between 5am and 11pm on 8 December. For domestic and international fleets, strike action would take place at various times between 12.01am and 11.59pm on 8 December.
“We deeply value our cabin crew and acknowledge the important role they play in our airline,” Ravishankar said.
“They deliver the experience our customers love and represent the warmth and professionalism of Air New Zealand. We remain committed to working with the unions to reach a fair and sustainable outcome that recognises the valuable contribution of our crew while balancing the affordability of travel for our customers and the challenging economic environment we’re operating in.”
Ravishankar said Air NZ is doing everything it can to minimise disruption for customers.
“If the strike goes ahead, the airline is committed to supporting any impacted customers. This will include rebooking, and may include providing meals and refreshments and accommodation if required. We will do everything we can to get customers to their destination as soon as possible while keeping them informed throughout their journey.”
Affected travellers would be contacted directly as soon as more information becomes available, Ravishankar said.
“We remain hopeful that we can reach a fair agreement.”
E tū said negotiations will continue next week.
