Qantas strike set to affect Australian travellers this morning: What you need to know
A lightning strike by Qantas engineers will cause chaos across Australia on Wednesday and Thursday.
About 300 Qantas engineers across Australia will be off work for 24 hours from Wednesday morning.
This follows industrial action taken at major airports over the past month after the airline refused to meet employees to discuss the latest enterprise agreement.
Engine parts maintenance technicians in Melbourne will strike for 24 hours from 9am on Wednesday, while a large gathering is expected at Tullamarine Airport from 10am.
Heavy maintenance technicians in Brisbane have been on strike for 24 hours since 1.30am, with a large gathering planned at the Brisbane International Terminal from 9am.
The Qantas Engineers’ Alliance, made up of the AMWU, AWU and ETU, said the action was necessary after Qantas management refused to return to the negotiating table and increase its previous offer.
“Union members are voting overwhelmingly to escalate our industrial activities,” said AMWU national secretary Steve Murphy.
‘This is because every time there is a problem at Qantas, executives ignore it and just hope it will go away. Well, we’re not going anywhere.
A lightning strike by Qantas engineers will cause chaos across Australia on Wednesday and Thursday. Qantas aircraft pictured
Chaos is expected at many Australian airports on Wednesday and Thursday as Qantas engineers stage a 24-hour strike. Melbourne Airport is pictured
“If Qantas wants to show the general public that things are changing, then valuing the employees who deliver their safety record should be priority number one.”
AWU national secretary Paul Farrow said: “In difficult times, our members accepted years of pay freezes.
“With the profits rolling in, it’s time for Qantas to come forward with a decent offer. No more delays, no more excuses.”
ETU National Secretary Michael Wright echoed these comments, saying: ‘It is shameful for Qantas to make billions in profits while these highly qualified workers go without the pay rise they rightly deserve.
‘These workers have suffered pay freezes due to Covid, while making Qantas one of the safest airlines in the world.
“Qantas must stop dithering, show its respect to these workers and pay them what they are worth.”
A Qantas spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: “Our teams have been working hard to resolve unforeseen circumstances and we do not expect the industrial action in Melbourne today to have any impact on customers.
‘There has been industrial action by engineers since the end of September and so far we have been successful in ensuring that this has not resulted in flight delays or cancellations.
“Our teams continue to do an excellent job helping customers reach their destinations safely.”
The airline has previously said the engineers’ demands are untenable.