Air NZ employees 'incensed' over airline execs being offered millions in shares

Members of the E tū aviation union are "incensed" after hearing the news that a multi-million-dollar share offer has been given to Air NZ's CEO, as well as offers to the executive team. On Friday, the New Zealand stock exchange showed CEO Greg Foran issued with rights to around $2.03m worth of shares. Six other members of the executive team were also issued rights of a lower value. Jennifer Sepull, Cam Wallace, Gregory Foran, Leanne Geraghty, Carrie Hurihanganui, Jeff McDowall and David Morgan are all named in documents provided to the NZX on Friday. With around 4000 of the airline’s crew having already lost their jobs this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, workers have described the airline’s actions as “tone-deaf”. "I've never seen crew so upset as they were over the weekend. It's just another kick while they're already down as crew numbers are being decimated," one worker is quoted as saying by E tū. E tū Head of Aviation Savage says union members are foregoing pay increases and not collecting contractual performance bonuses to help the airline save money. "For the board and the executives to take the share options at this time will do nothing to rebuild the airline's performance. Workers are incensed - it's rubbing salt into an already painful wound," Savage said. Savage said the union will be taking up the issue of the share offers with Finance Minister Grant Robertson.<br/>