Qantas Passengers May Face Delays as Unions Start Industrial Action

Qantas passengers, including those traveling to the Commonwealth Games, may experience delays due to industrial action by maintenance workers. The workers, represented by the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) and the Australian Workers Union (AWU), will start a work-to-rule industrial action on Thursday. The action is in response to Qantas' plan to send maintenance jobs offshore, which the unions say threatens job security.

Key Takeaways:

• The industrial action may disrupt travel to the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, with no guarantees that it will not impact passengers.
• The unions have notified authorities of their intention to take protected action, affecting approximately 2,100 Qantas maintenance workers.
• Qantas has threatened to shift about 2,500 maintenance jobs to Indonesia, China, or New Zealand if it cannot achieve cost cuts.
• The airline has failed to provide a guarantee of job security in return for concessions during enterprise bargaining talks.
• The work-to-rule industrial action will affect Qantas' maintenance timetable, making it take longer.
• The unions are seeking a guarantee that maintenance jobs will not be sent to China in exchange for concessions.

Statistics:

• Approximately 2,100 Qantas maintenance workers are employed, represented by the AMWU and AWU.
• 2,500 maintenance jobs may be shifted to Indonesia, China, or New Zealand if Qantas achieves cost cuts.
• The maintenance timetable may be affected, making it take longer under work-to-rule industrial action.
• The industrial action is a last resort for the union, taken in response to Qantas' plan to send maintenance jobs offshore.

Sources:

• "Qantas passengers may face delays as unions start industrial action", Asia Pulse, March 7
• (AAP), March 7 1708