Air NZ application for overseas workers unjustifiable

It is unjustifiable for Air New Zealand to seek to recruit aircraft engineers offshore when it recently announced it would lay off Kiwi workers, Labour’s spokesperson on industrial affairs Andrew Little says.

“Air New Zealand has already said its new fleet with modern engineering and materials means it will be shedding aircraft engineers very soon.

“It will be scaling back its aircraft maintenance operations in Blenheim, so it’s hard to see what reason the airline might have to want to recruit overseas in the foreseeable future.”

The Engineering, Printing and manufacturing Union revealed today Air New Zealand has applied to renew the permission it currently holds to recruit aircraft engineers from overseas. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is seeking feedback from interested parties about the application.

“All indications are there is or soon will be a surplus of these skilled workers in New Zealand, so the Ministry should treat the application sceptically.

“Air New Zealand has prided itself on constructive relations between management and its workforce, so I am surprised the airline has seen the need to press ahead with this accreditation application without the apparent support of its workforce.

“I expect the Ministry will conduct a thorough investigation into this application and if it is satisfied there will soon be a significant surplus of aircraft engineers, it will have to decline air New Zealand’s request,” Andrew Little says.

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