A new pay deal at Qantas will deliver pay increases averaging 13.5% over three years.And the first rise will be backpaid to July 1.

In an Australia-wide secret ballot, 86% of our Qantas members voted in favour of the deal.
It was a hard slog and our delegates put in a lot of hours on the ground and in the air working on the deal for their workmates.

Special thanks to Mark Bebich and Alan Scroop (Ramp), John Rawlingson  (QFC) and Jeff "Chewie" Shea in Cargo.

In addition to the pay rises there were a number of other achivements:

• A boost in superannuation contributions to 10% for those not in the defined benefit scheme.
• Superannuation salary sacrifice benefits for all employees on the defined benefits scheme. This will deliver a 1.3% - 1.8% tax benefit per annum.
• The cap on part-timers work hours to be lifted so they can temporarily fill in for full time workers. This will allow more relief work to be performed in-house, rather than by labour hire.
• 10 weeks paid maternity leave now locked into our collective agreement.
• Optional cashing out of accrued annual leave and RDO entitlements.

Importantly, several unpopular trade-offs being proposed by Qantas were rejected by the TWU. .

• REJECTED: The new "B grade" starter rate that Qantas was pushing to bring in for new employees.
• REJECTED: An increase in part time working hours to 35 hours per week and new four-hour shifts for casuals.
• REJECTED: A new minimum call in time of 3 hours.
• REJECTED: The watering down of our dispute procedures.

Given the state of the world economy and its impact on air travel, the overall outcome was a very good one for the union and its members.