Qantas, Jetstar engineers 'overworked'

'Tis the season to strike, with industrial action threatening to mess up festive
holiday flight plans across the country.
Anyone with January flights booked with Qantas and Jetstar has been warned of delays
as engineers continue a campaign of strike action over pay and conditions into the
New Year.
More than 100 Qantas and Jetstar engineers walked off the job in Sydney, Brisbane
and Avalon in Victoria on Thursday, on the first day of a possible five-day strike.
The heavy maintenance engineers have more strike action planned for December and
into next year.
Alison Rose, from the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers
Australia (APESMA), said the action had been carefully planned not to impact
Christmas flights but the same assurance cannot be given for January.
"We have called on Qantas to come back and talk to us to resolve our key issues of
fatigue and professional recognition and development," Ms Rose told AAP.
"Qantas hasn't done that so the industrial action has commenced this morning."
Qantas group executive of government and corporate affairs David Epstein said the
industrial action wouldn't impact flights.
"The announcement by union officials refers to sporadic action that has been going
on for some time but has not disrupted Qantas operations and will not do so in the
future," he said on Thursday.
"We have continued to negotiate in good faith and remain absolutely committed to
finding common ground."
He said APESMA was seeking a pay rise of 26 per cent over three years, which was
unreasonable.
Ms Rose said APESMA's members were seeking a pay rise in the vicinity of between 4.5
to five per cent a year over the life of the agreement.
She said the main issue driving the strike action was fatigue.
"It is not uncommon for them to have less than four hours' sleep between work
periods," she said.
"We just need to work out how we can actually put proper rest breaks into this work
pattern."
But, in some relief from more potential disruption, security screeners for Qantas
and Jetstar domestic terminals at Melbourne and Avalon airports have reached an
agreement with security contractor MSS and have cancelled their planned industrial
action.
MSS agreed on Thursday afternoon to withdraw its proposal to create part-time
casuals at Melbourne and Avalon airports.
The LHMU is claiming a victory in the deal which also includes a pay increase of
13.5 per cent over three years.