On Thursday, Qantas airport employees began a coordinated 24‑hour strike at four major Australian airports – Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. The action, organized by the Australia Transport Workers Union (TWU), involves staff from Qantas Ground Services, Australian Air Express freight operations and the regional carrier QantasLink.
Union demands focus on pay, job security and safety
The TWU says workers are seeking wage increases that match industry standards, a greater number of full‑time roles and the consolidation of work groups under a single Qantas structure. They argue that the airline’s reliance on multiple subsidiaries has fragmented the workforce and weakened safety standards.
In Sydney, up to 400 safety screeners will join the strike, conducting two two‑hour stoppages and planning an additional three‑hour stoppage on September 28, according to the union’s statement.
Union leader calls out unsafe conditions
“Strike action is always a last resort, but we are literally seeing workers maimed and killed keeping these critical services going,” TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said.
The union also criticized Qantas’ labour structure, urging a “fundamental reset” after years of cost‑cutting measures.
Background on previous legal issues
During the COVID‑19 pandemic, Qantas outsourced more than 1,800 ground‑worker positions, a move later deemed illegal. A court ordered the airline to pay a record fine of A$90 million (approximately $64 million) last year for that breach.
Qantas has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
