Qantas fights against holiday ground crew strikes

In Short:
– Qantas is going to the Fair Work Commission to prevent ground crew strikes during school holidays.
– Over 600 ground workers voted for strikes, aiming for better pay and job security in negotiations.

Qantas is preparing to enter the Fair Work Commission on Friday to prevent ground crew strikes during school holidays.Over 600 ground service workers support the airline’s freight and QantasLink flights, excluding domestic and international services.

The Transport Workers Union has scheduled a 24-hour strike in Victoria on Wednesday, followed by a nationwide strike on Thursday.

These school holidays commence in Queensland, Victoria, and the Northern Territory this weekend.

A recent protected action ballot revealed that 97 per cent of Qantas Ground Services and Australian Air Express staff voted in favour of striking.

Qantas has reassured customers of contingency plans to limit disruptions during the potential industrial action.

The TWU has been in discussions with Qantas for a new enterprise agreement, aiming for better pay and job security.

Michael Kaine, TWU national secretary, stated Qantas subsidiaries have hindered negotiation efforts to align pay with industry standards.

He noted that any resulting disruptions would be attributable to Qantas management’s disregard for workers and customers.

Kaine expressed concern for worker safety, citing a recent incident involving a freight handler’s death at Sydney Airport.

Qantas has disputed claims of rising safety issues since outsourcing 1,800 ground crew roles in 2020 to companies like Swissport and Menzies.

Despite facing safety concerns, Qantas aims to negotiate terms that satisfy worker demands regarding pay and full-time positions.

The airline reported a $2bn underlying profit for the 2026 financial year, reflecting a 14 per cent drop due to increased fuel costs.

The rising fuel prices have caused the company’s share price to decline by 18 per cent from $10.69 to $8.78 on the ASX.

Recent developments

Qantas hopes to reach a negotiated agreement with its workers.

The airline’s executives faced consequences for the company’s safety oversight in recent years.

Kaine emphasized the need for improved security and working conditions within the Qantas supply chain.

The situation remains dynamic as negotiations continue ahead of the proposed strikes.