Passengers on Qantas flights out of Melbourne airport face major delays on Wednesday, as workers refuse to refuel planes for 24 hours.
Travellers will have to deal with service disruptions as domestic and international flights are impacted by the strike from 4am on Wednesday.
The Transport Workers Union has told refuelling company Rivet, which also services QantasLink and DHL, that their workers will strike over pay negotiations.
It comes after 12 months of discussions over increasing workloads, attracting new staff and demands for higher pay.
Qantas and DHL plane refuellers at Melbourne airport will strike for 24 hours. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar
TWU assistant branch secretary Mem Suleyman said the union was calling on Rivet to come to the table or risk widespread disruptions to travel on Wednesday.
“For a year, Rivet refuellers have tried to reach a fair agreement but have instead been faced with base wage freezes which impact their pay now and long into the future,” he said.
“In the current cost-of-living crisis it is unacceptable to expect workers to pick up extra responsibilities and work harder, faster and longer to make ends meet.
“These are workers in one of the most dangerous jobs in the airport, yet they are being pushed to the limit while pay and conditions fail to attract more workers to share the load.”
The workers are striking for better pay. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer
In January, Melbourne airport reported its highest foot traffic in three years, while the industry continues to face the challenges of recovering from pandemic shutdowns.
Mr Suleyman said it was a “last resort” for workers who had reached breaking point after months of trying to come to an agreement with Rivet.
“Aviation was decimated throughout the pandemic, but (Qantas chief executive) Alan Joyce is now gloating about a $1bn half-year profit while overworked aviation workers getting planes refuelled and into the air are struggling,” he said.
Read related topics:MelbourneQantas