The Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) is a

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ...

and professional association formed in 1981 to represent Qantas and its related companies pilots and flight engineers. The AIPA broke away from the

Australian Federation of Air Pilots The Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) is a professional association and industrial organisation for commercial pilots in Australia. As a professional association, it provides pilots the opportunity to meet and discuss aviation-related ...

(AFAP) in the early 1980s. It was formally registered in 1986. In May 2007 the

Australian Industrial Relations Commission The Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC), known from 1956 to 1973 as the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission and from 1973 to 1988 as the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, was a tribunal with powers ...

ruled that the AIPA could cover pilots employed by

Jetstar Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd, operating as Jetstar, is an Australian low-cost airline (self-described as "value-based") headquartered in Melbourne. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by airline Virgi ...

. This means that coverage of Jetstar pilots is shared between the AFAP and the AIPA. The AIPA does not view itself as a trade union, but as a "professional Association and federally registered organisation". In late 2006 it decided to rejoin the

ACTU The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), originally the Australasian Council of Trade Unions, is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions and eight trades and l ...

References

{{reflist Trade unions in Australia Aviation in Australia Airline pilots' trade unions Trade unions established in 1981 1981 establishments in Australia