Qantas engineers are set to escalate industrial action, with over 1,000 aircraft-towing engineers planning to strike during peak-hour flights on Monday. The engineers, represented by the Qantas Engineers’ Alliance, are demanding a 15% pay increase in the first year of a new enterprise agreement, followed by 5% annual increases.
The planned walkouts, taking place between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., are expected to impact flights at major airports in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth. Despite the strike, Qantas maintains that previous industrial actions have not disrupted passengers, including those traveling for the AFL grand final.
A Qantas spokesperson stated, "We have seen no disruptions to our network over the past four days and don’t expect Monday’s strike to impact customers or their travel plans." Contingency plans are in place to minimise the effects.
The Qantas Engineers’ Alliance includes members from the Australian Workers Union (AWU), the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), and the Electrical Trades Union (ETU). AWU national secretary Paul Farrow acknowledged the reluctance of engineers to inconvenience passengers but emphasised that the action comes in response to stalled negotiations.
Approximately 1,100 aircraft maintenance workers - around 45% of Qantas’s engineering workforce - are covered under the agreement being negotiated.