Australian Federation of Air Pilots

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Australian Federation of Air Pilots
Founded18 May 1938
HeadquartersSouth Melbourne
Location
  • Australia
Members
4,346 (as at 31 December 2022)[1]
Key people
Louise Pole (President)
AffiliationsInternational Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations
Websitewww.afap.org.au

The Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) is a

commercial pilots in Australia.[2]

As a professional association, it provides

aviation safety standards.[2]

As an industrial organisation, its role is to improve employment conditions for its members, including

accident or incident.[2]

Mission and role

Its stated mission is to "represent and promote the interests of Australian professional flight crew and to champion the highest possible standards of aviation safety."[3]

AFAP-represented pilots work in

commercial pilots who serve in a professional capacity, the AFAP recently changed its eligibility rules to also cover Qantas' mainline pilots, who until then where represented by the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA). AFAP are founding members of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations.[4]

History

The first precursor to the AFAP was the

Victoria, but also from New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.[4]

After World War II, it became the Australian Air Pilots’ Association (AAPA), taking on a greater role in traditional trade union matters such as contract negotiations and working conditions. In 1948, it was one of the organisations which came together to form the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations, an international body representing the interests of professional pilots.[4]

The AAPA was disbanded in 1959, when its entire membership resigned due to an arbitration system imposed by the government on all trade and industrial unions which was perceived as "incapable of understanding the profession." These members formed the AFAP, which initially operated as a pilots' federation outside the regulatory system of industrial and trade unions.[4]

Thirty years later came the

Ipec Aviation, making themselves available for flying duties only within the normal office working hours of 9am to 5pm. They argued that if they were to be treated in exactly the same way as employees in other industries, their work conditions should also be the same, the position adopted by the Hawke government. The dispute escalated, with Australian Defence Force personnel being used as strikebreakers and AFAP member pilots resigning en masse.[5]
Despite the Hawke government efforts to destroy the federation they survived as an organisation and grew larger continuing to represent pilots in Australia. The airline companies directly involved all disappeared from aviation in following years.

Organisation

The AFAP is organised as a labor federation along a democratic model, with direct democracy the preferred method for major decisions, such as finalising workplace negotiations. It comprises various pilot councils retaining control of their own direction.[2] Among those are councils representing pilots working for the following organisations:

Benefits

In addition to providing employee representation during collective bargaining negotiations and as part of formal grievance procedures, the AFAP also provides ancillary benefits to its members, such as:

References

  1. ^ "Membership size of registered organisations – 2023" (PDF). Fair Work Commission. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Our Role". Australian Federation of Air Pilots. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
  3. ^ "Mission Statement". Australian Federation of Air Pilots. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d "Our History". Australian Federation of Air Pilots. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
  5. ^ Brown, Gary (1 September 1997). "Troops as Strikebreakers: Use of the Defence Force in Industrial Action Situations". Australian Parliamentary Library – Current Issues Brief 3, 1996–1997. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 23 November 2010. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
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