Qantas and Jetstar engineers vote to strike over quest for pay rise

Qantas and Jetstar engineers have voted to strike but their union promises that passengers will be spared disruption.

More than 700 maintenance engineers at Qantas, Jetstar and Network Aviation have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over stalled pay negotiations.

A postal ballot of Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association members asked if they supported overtime bans and strikes, and more than 90 per cent of those who took part responded yes.

ALAEA federal secretary Steve Purvinas said the strong support for protected industrial action was not surprising, given the airlines’ offer of a wage freeze, followed by 2 per cent pay rises.

“While CPI is above 5 per cent it would be silly to agree to something like that and of course we haven’t and don’t intend to,” Mr Purvinas said in a video message to members.

In the case of Qantas engineers, a one-off pay rise of 12 per cent was being sought after four years of negotiation.

ALAEA federal secretary Steve Purvinas says strike action should not affect passengers.

Jetstar engineers wanted a 15 per cent increase over four years, and those employed by the Western Australia-based Network Aviation were seeking 20 per cent over four years.

Despite the support for industrial action, Mr Purvinas said engineers would not be staging any disruptive strikes and the ballot was intended to bring the companies back to the negotiating table.

“What we will be doing is going back and reinforcing the fact it is inappropriate to try to push a wage freeze at this time,” he said.

One-minute stoppages would take place by the end of the month, with a view to longer strikes should management not agree to the engineers’ pay demands.

“We do want to give some time for the resolution of these matters, before we do anything that could come close to disrupting the public,” said Mr Purvinas.

“The concern though is if management don’t agree to that, and they just want to stick to this unfair wages policy, then negotiations could fail again and it won’t be through lack of trying from ALAEA’s perspective.”

Qantas engineers are seeking a one-off pay rise of 12 per cent.

In the event of longer strikes, Mr Purvinas said ALAEA planned to offer an “alternative workforce” at a higher pay rate to minimise any disruption.

“Our target is not the passengers, our target is the airlines who are not negotiating in good faith,” he said.

“We want to create a financial penalty for them to find alternative labour that we will offer.”

Qantas engineering executive manager Scott McConnell said it was extremely disappointing the union had taken this step towards industrial action.

He said the airline was committed to pay increases for its licensed engineers, but the union’s pay claims were unrealistic.

“The union has repeatedly said that any industrial action won’t impact customers’ travel plans and, while we hope they stick to their word, we’re also putting in place contingency plans in case they don’t,” Mr McConnell said.

“The entire aviation sector is still recovering from the impact of Covid, and the threat of industrial action is the last thing travellers need.”

Qantas was also facing possible industrial action by ground crews employed by Dnata, who were currently being balloted with a view to striking.

The Emirates-owned company provided services like baggage handling for a number of airlines at Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane Airports, including Qantas, Etihad and Singapore Airlines.

Dnata employee, represented by the Transport Workers Union, were opposed to a new agreement that pushed them on to below-award minimum conditions.

A result of the ballot was expected by early next month.

Originally published as Qantas and Jetstar engineers vote to strike over quest for pay rise