Qantas engineers expand city hitlist

June 29, 2011

A COMPULSORY conference at Fair Work Australia yesterday failed to resolve issues between Qantas and engineers, with new talks unlikely during strike action next week.
The Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association made good on its threat to expand industrial action beyond Monday’s two-hour stoppage in Melbourne as it added Perth to the list of destinations to be hit – on Tuesday – during the busy school holidays.
The union is expected to nominate Brisbane today, with other airports added as the week progresses.
Qantas is still working out what impact the stoppages will have on flights and says it should have some idea by later today.
“If the union is serious about not disrupting the travel plans of Australians then they should call off the strikes immediately,” Qantas group executive of operations Lyell Strambi said.
“This could impact the travel plans of families wishing to travel to Perth for the school holidays.”
The engineers have offered to provide their own members as strikebreakers provided they are paid double-time penalty rates, but Qantas has rejected the idea as a “cynical stunt”.
However, ALAEA federal secretary Steve Purvinas said he did not expect the union’s action to lead to cancellations in Melbourne and Perth.

Complete article in TheAustralian.com.au