Qantas travellers have been warned of flight disruptions as engineers stage a two-week strike ahead of the football grand final.
The action began in Melbourne on Thursday morning and will spread across the nation in the coming days.
Unions are pushing for a 15 percent wage increase this year and another 5 percent per year in the future, which they say would make up for a 3.5-year wage freeze.
About 1,100 aircraft maintenance workers are covered by the agreement under negotiation, about 45 percent of the airline’s technicians.
Their unions warn that the measure will likely affect Qantas flights in all capital cities, but the airline disagrees.
Qantas posted a profit of $1.25 billion in the 2023-24 financial year, down 28.3 percent from the previous 12 months.
CEO Vanessa Hudson previously said the airline had deliberately reduced its margins on international travel to balance the needs of shareholders, employees and customers.
Paul Farrow, national secretary of the Australian union, said the airline refused to accept a “fair deal”.
Qantas engineers’ strike action in Melbourne is expected to spread across the country
“You can’t expect to announce billions in profits and bonuses for management and at the same time tell the engineers who keep the planes safe that they have to take less and less home to their families,” said Paul Farrow, national secretary of the Australian union.
‘At some point people say: enough.’
Steve Murphy, national secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, said workers feel undervalued and underappreciated.
“If you’ve had a bad experience with Qantas, it’s nothing compared to the feeling Qantas gives their employees every day,” he said.
“Our highly qualified members deserve a fair wage for the great work they do to keep us all safe in the air.”
Thousands of out-of-state visitors are expected to descend on Melbourne in the coming days ahead of the AFL Grand Final. However, there were no major queues or mass match cancellations early on Thursday morning.
Unions warn the move will likely impact Qantas flights in all capital cities, but the airline disagrees
Further strikes are expected on Monday 30 September, Wednesday 2 October and Friday 4 October, just days before the NRL Grand Final in Sydney.
The airline does not expect the measure to have any consequences for travelers.
“We are taking measures and do not expect this strike to have any consequences for our customers at this time,” a spokesperson said.
‘We have held a number of meetings with the unions and made progress on a number of points.
“We want to reach an agreement that includes wage increases and better lifestyle benefits for our people.”