Monday, May 05, 2008
Qantas engineers are planning a series of 48-hour strikes in their campaign for better pay.
Despite fare increases and a record profit year predicted Qantas has refused to improve on a pay offer of 3percent.
The Australian Licensed Engineers Association has begun balloting members and industrial action will probably start in two weeks.
"Our members feel an offer of 3 per cent isn't good enough when inflation is running at 4.2 per cent," said association federal president Paul Cousins.
Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon said, "At a time of record and escalating fuel prices and major disruptions in the industry, Qantas will not move from its stated 3 per cent pay increase and 1 per cent super."
Qantas is expected to announce a record $1.5 billion profit in a couple of months, up 40 per cent on the previous year.
The airline has also increased international and domestic fares by 3 per cent and 3.5 percent respectively. Those rises mean a $100 increase on a return trip to London and $8 on a one-way fare to Melbourne.
Fuel costs are soaring but the airline has bought much of this year's fuel on favourable fixed contracts. It has said it will absorb the higher costs by cutting expenditure and putting a freeze on hiring.
Mr Cousins said if engineers voted in favour of industrial action it would begin almost as soon as the ballot closed on May 18 with a series of four-hour stoppages.
"We will try to keep disruption to a minimum but it will inevitably lead to delays because there is a shortage of engineers."
Mr Cousins claimed Qantas had contracted an employment agency to hire engineers on extremely favourable short-term contracts to break the strike.
Qantas passengers should be prepared from delays to their flights due to the strikes.