It is expected that further strikes will take place amongst Qantas engineers following a pay dispute. Qantas engineers have requested a 5% pay rise and Qantas has refused to issue any increase over 3%.

150 Qantas engineers in Melbourne and 200 in Sydney and Brisbane will assemble for work-stop meetings today to talk about their pay rise demands. This industrial action has been expected for weeks and Qantas has been arranging relief workers to accommodate these strikes. According to the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association secretary, Steve Purvinas, industrial action will be expected to take place in the near future. It is expected that these will cause many disruptions in the airport and within the company.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has attacked Qantas following a statement made by the airline announcing they were cutting jobs and services. The airline has stated that increasing fuel prices is estimated to affect their fuel bill by 2 billion in 2009. The TWU have said that the multi million dollar company is earning record profits and can afford to keep employees on.

Qantas has said that jobs will be cut and four aircrafts will be grounded, including one from the Jetstar fleet. Some routes and services are also expected to be cut back. Mick Pieri, a spokesman for TWU, has said that increasing fuel bills is a scapegoat and that Qantas simply want to increase their profit margin.

As statement from Mr Pieri stated that “It is an excuse about the fuel, it’s all about profit. Let’s look at the people who gave them those profits, let’s look at a little bit of job security, not job insecurity.”

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