Hundreds of Qantas engineers have again commenced a 24-hour strike action across major Australian airports, disrupting flight operations and casting a shadow over the upcoming holiday season.
The 24-hour strike, which began at 3.30am local time on Friday, will impact critical operations such as towing and marshalling aircraft but Qantas says there will be minimal impact on flights today.
Qantas engineers on strike (again) as airline promises minimal disruptions for travellers
Though it was initially reported that action would involve 500 workers, Qantas says 160 AMEs are rostered on during Friday’s industrial action and only members of the Alliance unions can take action.
The Alliance unions involved engineers from the Australian Workers Union (AWU), Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), and the Electrical Trades Union (ETU).
Qantas says the Alliance unions have been seeking over 40 per cent in pay increases over three years, which is not sustainable. Qantas has offered pay increases, new career pathways, and more advanced training, which would result in take home pay increasing on average by 15 per cent over the same period.
The strike is a result of a long-standing pay dispute between the unions and Qantas, with negotiations reaching an impasse.
A Qantas media statement said that as of 8.30am, more than 97 per cent of domestic Qantas flights have departed on time.
“Our teams are working hard to ensure that this industrial action has minimal impact on customers’ holiday plans and we have put a number of contingencies in place and extra resourcing on the ground to ensure our customers get away as planned,” a Qantas spokesperson said.
“As always at this time of year our aircraft are full and airports are busy so we urge customers to give themselves more time to get through security and get to their aircraft.”
As the holiday season approaches, travellers are advised to monitor flight updates and allow extra time for check-in and security procedures. The unions have warned that further industrial action may be taken if a satisfactory agreement is not reached.
Sydney Airport said earlier this week that it expects today to be the peak day for domestic travel, with more than 81,000 passengers boarding, while the busiest day for international travel will be Saturday, 4 January 2025, with more than 62,000 passengers.
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