Qantas faces significant disruption as 300 engineers initiate a 24-hour strike across Melbourne (MEL) and Brisbane (BNE) airports, escalating their ongoing wage dispute with airline management.

Melbourne’s engine components maintenance engineers will cease operations starting at 9 am Wednesday (October 23, 2024), following their Brisbane counterparts who began their strike at 1:30 am local time.

Qantas Engineers Tools Down Protest

The striking workers plan to establish protest rallies at the international terminals of both Tullamarine and Brisbane airports.

This industrial action marks a critical escalation in the wage negotiations that stalled after the engineers’ enterprise agreement lapsed in June. Well, this strike builds upon previous labor actions, which included a two-hour work stoppage last month that affected major aviation hubs, notably Brisbane Airport.

The unions represent specialized aircraft maintenance personnel who maintain vital engine components and perform heavy maintenance duties.

Demand for Better Pay

The Qantas Engineers’ Alliance demands a significant wage increase, seeking a 5% annual raise coupled with a 15% first-year increment to offset multiple years of wage stagnation. This tri-union coalition aims to compensate for 3.5 years of frozen wages while bringing salaries in line with industry standards.

Union leaders report Qantas management still needs to improve their initial offer or resume negotiations. Australian Workers’ Union national secretary Steve Murphy emphasizes the growing frustration among members, stating their determination to maintain pressure through industrial action.

“Union members vote overwhelmingly to escalate our industrial activities,” Murphy declares, criticizing Qantas executives for their perceived pattern of ignoring workplace issues. He asserts the union’s resolve, stating firmly, “We’re not going anywhere.”

The dispute’s intensity is reflected in recent labor actions, with over 1,000 engineers participating in a two-hour strike across major Australian airports last month (September 2024).

Qantas is going through a pile of issues, including a case by the ground workers’ union for firing 1,700 workers during COVID, the tickets scandal, blocking Qatar Airways, and others.