Qantas engineers have launched further strike action today as part of an ongoing pay dispute, raising concerns over potential flight delays at major airports across Australia.
Engineers in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Canberra walked off the job for two hours starting at 7am.
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The Qantas Engineers’ Alliance, which includes the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), Australian Workers Union (AWU), and Electrical Trades Union (ETU), is pushing for a 15 per cent immediate pay rise, followed by a 5 per cent increase over the next three years.
The unions argue that wages have been stagnant for years despite soaring living costs.
AMWU national secretary Steve Murphy said, “It’s about time Qantas showed these workers that they are valued… Pay the workers back for their goodwill during COVID.”
AWU national secretary Paul Farrow highlighted engineers’ critical role in maintaining Qantas’s safety record.
Farrow said it has been nearly 20 years since their members have taken strike action.
“I think it’s been nearly 20 years since our members engaged in this type of action, and what have they got for it?” he said.
“What Qantas has taught (the engineers) is ‘if you stay quiet, if you work with us, what you’ll get in return is absolutely nothing.’”
Qantas, meanwhile, has reassured passengers that it has measures in place to minimise any travel disruptions.
A Qantas spokesperson said: “Over the past four days, we have seen no disruptions to our network as a result of the industrial action from some of our engineering workgroups.”
“Our teams have done a great job helping customers safely get to their destination over the busy weekend with school holidays and the footy finals,” the spokesperson added.
“We have contingencies in place and don’t expect Monday’s planned strike action to have an impact on customers or their travel plans.”
The airline reported no significant delays during recent strikes.
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