On Friday, hundreds of Qantas Airline engineers walk off the job for 24 hours. The strike will affect the airports in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. However, there have been no reports of any major delays, though airports around the country have reported slight disruptions to travellers.
Around 500 engineers started walking off the job at 3:00 a.m. and will not return until 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Meanwhile, additional strikes are planned for December 20. “As at 8:30am, more than 97 per cent of domestic Qantas flights have departed on time,” a Qantas spokesperson said.
The engineers requested a 25 per cent pay rise. The negotiation between Qantas and the Unions representing the engineers has been ongoing for a long time. However, they were unable to reach any agreement. Meanwhile, the most recent contract expired in June.
The Qantas Engineer’s Alliance is made up of the Australian Workers Union (AWU), the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) and the Electrical Trade Union (ETU). The Alliance is demanding a 15 per cent up-front pay increase and a 5 per cent increase a year.
According to sources, Qantas refused the offer of a 3 per cent wage increase a year over 3 years. The airline stated that the union has been seeking over 40 per cent pay increases over three years, which is not sustainable. The airline has offered pay increases on average by 15 per cent along with new career pathways, and more advanced training. The strike is taking place as Christmas and the busy summer period is approaching causing difficulties for the travellers.
If the airline is unable to reach an agreement, another strike action is set to be held on December 20. Therefore, travellers must check and keep updated before considering travelling to avoid any delays at the airports.