A lightning strike by Qantas engineers has heightened the chances of flight delays and cancellations across Australia on Wednesday and Thursday.
Around 300 Qantas engineers across Australia will walk off the job for 24 hours from Wednesday morning.
This continues the union action taken across major airports in the past month, after the airline refused to meet to discuss the latest enterprise agreement.
Engine components maintenance engineers in Melbourne will strike for 24 hours from 9am on Wednesday, with a large rally expected at Tullamarine Airport from 10am.
Brisbane heavy maintenance engineers have been on strike since 1.30am for 24 hours, with a large rally planned at the Brisbane International Terminal from 9am.
Qantas said it has absorbed previous strike action during the current union campaign without major flight delays or cancellations and is confident it will be able to do so again for the next two days.
The Qantas Engineers’ Alliance, comprising the Australian Manufacturers Workers Union, Australian Workers Union and Electrical Trades Union, said the action was backed by members.
‘Union members are voting overwhelmingly to escalate our industrial activities,’ AMWU national secretary Steve Murphy said.
‘This is because every time there is a problem at Qantas, the executives ignore it and just hope that it will go away. Well we’re not going anywhere.
‘If Qantas wants to show the general public that things are going to change, then valuing the workers that deliver their safety record should be number one priority.’
The AWU’s national secretary Paul Farrow said ‘When times were tough, our members accepted years of wage freezes.
‘Now that the profits are flowing, it’s time for Qantas to come to the table with a decent offer. No more delays, no more excuses.’
The unions are seeking a five per cent annual pay rise plus an initial 15 per cent rise to compensate for a previous wage freeze in the post-lockdown period.
ETU national secretary Michael Wright said ‘it’s disgraceful for Qantas to be making profits in the billions while these highly skilled workers are having to go without the pay increase they rightfully deserve.
‘These workers have suffered wage freezes through Covid, all while continuing to make Qantas one of the safest airlines around.
‘Qantas needs to stop stalling, start showing their respect to these workers and pay them what they’re worth.’
A Qantas spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that ‘Our teams have worked hard to put contingencies in place and we don’t expect the industrial action in Melbourne today to have any impact to customers.
‘There’s been some industrial action by engineers since late September and so far we’ve been able to successfully ensure it hasn’t resulted in any flight delays or cancellations.
‘Our teams continue to do a great job helping customers get to their destination safely.’
The airline has previously said the engineers’ demands are unsustainable.
