Hey telephonenumber, get off the line, unless you understand it is NOT a strike, it is Protected Industrial Action and it could have started much earlier except it has been decided to delay it as to not inflame the situation.
As for the other stuff, playing into their hands will sometimes occur if the public listen to the 'current affairs' media that like to beat things up to sensationalise an issue, to sell more papers.
Yes, labour may well be worldwide but aircraft maintenance carries a particular price, a price that Qantas do not want to pay, blame SARS, Terrorism, Fuel Prices and the world market, except don't blame the fact that Qantas will continue to reduce conditions in exchange for record annual Profits.
1 Billion last year, 1.4 Billion this year!!