Qantas workers strike at terminals in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth for 24 hours in protest of poor job security

Qantas workers at major airports across the country are walking off the job for the next 24 hours in protest of subcontracting conditions which union reps say gives Qantas the ability to “drive down pay and conditions”.

Ground crews based at Qantas terminals in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth have downed tools, claiming their careers are being turned into “scraps of poorly paid, unsafe work”.

TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said workers who “used to be proud to say they work for the Flying Kangaroo” had been forced to down tools in an effort to bring Qantas back to the negotiating table.

“The public used to be proud of this airline. But that won’t happen again until Qantas properly invests in its workforce, with pay in line with industry standards, more full-time jobs, and an end to workers being pitted against each other in competition,” he said.

“It’s time for the new Qantas management to shed the spiteful corporate attitude it inherited from Alan Joyce and actually value workers driving the airline’s billions in profits.”

A Qantas spokesperson said there were “contingency plans” in place, and there would be “no disruption to customers”.

“We remain committed to reaching agreements with our employees that deliver substantial pay increases and reflect the priorities they have told us are important to them,” the spokesperson said.

A Sydney Airport spokesperson said “minimal impact” was anticipated.

It is understood the majority of striking workers come under Qantas freight transfer as opposed to commercial passenger flights.

More to come