Qantas workers are escalating their fight for better pay, holding 24-hour stoppages at every capital city airport.
It’s one of the busiest days of the year for Australian flights but the airline doesn’t think there will be delays.
Stay up-to-date on the latest news with The Queensland Briefing – keeping you in the loop with news as it hits:
Despite industrial action by some of Qantas’ Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs), flights on Friday morning have mostly departed on time.
A Qantas spokesperson said, “We have put a number of contingencies in place and extra resourcing on the ground to ensure our customers get away as planned.”
“We’re offering our engineers a competitive package including pay rises, upskilling and career progression that will enable them to earn significantly more over the next few years.”
Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) National Secretary Steve Murphy said workers want a five per cent increase annually starting with 15 per cent in the first year.
“They’ve had wages freezes for four out of the last ten years and what they’re asking Qantas to pay back is that loyalty that they’ve given to Qantas’ brand and their reputation as the safest airline in the world,” Murphy said.
Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia’s fastest-growing news podcast on Listnr today. The Briefing serves up the latest news headlines and a deep dive into a topic affecting you. All in under 20 minutes.