Source : Perth Now news
Hundreds of people working for Australia’s largest airline could soon go on strike amid a bitter dispute over pay.
More than 600 employees of Qantas Ground Services, a subsidiary of Qantas Airlines, are set to vote on whether to take to the picket line over a longstanding row with the airline.
On Wednesday evening, the Transport Workers Union filed a Protection Action Ballot, giving members the right to vote on industrial action.
It comes following a bitter dispute over the outsourcing of 1800 ground workers, which the TWU says has impacted the pay, safety and working conditions of QGS-rostered workers.
However, the airline has insisted any potential industrial action would create minimal impact for passengers, due to the affected workers mainly operating in its freight sector.
It comes almost a year after a cargo worker, a man in his 40s, was killed at Sydney International Freight Terminal after being struck by a towing vehicle.
The dispute has seen union bosses accuse Qantas of putting profits over worker and passenger standards.
Michael Kaine, national secretary for TWU, said that standards for QGS workers “continue to be obliterated”.
“When pay and conditions reach rock-bottom levels, safety suffers,” he said.
“We saw this deadly recipe last year when a Qantas Freight worker was horrifically killed in Sydney.
“Workers at QGS, and elsewhere across aviation, are saying enough is enough; it is time for Qantas to invest in its workforce instead of continuing to trash jobs and safety.”
A spokesman for Qantas said the organisation was eager to find a resolution to the dispute.
“There is no immediate risk of industrial action from this work group,” a spokesman said.
“We are committed to reaching an agreement that includes improved pay and conditions for our people while ensuring we have a sustainable business.”
