A Qantas spokesman said in a statement he was “disappointed” and said the vote was “completely unnecessary”.
“With the industry still recovering from the impact of the pandemic, the last thing it needs is the threat of industrial action,” the spokesman said. “The ALAEA’s last claim was a one-year agreement with a 12 percent salary increase.”
“This is something we just can’t afford and it’s well above the salary increases of other employees in the group.”
Prohibitions on overtime and work stoppages
But ALAEA Federal Secretary Steve Purvinas, who attacked Qantas ’bonus plan with other union leaders last month, said wage demands are reasonable because“ our Qantas members have not received a wage increase in four years, ”as the older business agreements had expired and occurred. finished.
Qantas and the union began negotiations on a new agreement for Qantas-licensed engineers in 2019. This stopped during the pandemic and talks resumed in December 2021, but since then the couple has been at odds. .
Talks on a new deal for Jetstar and Network Aviation engineers had resumed in May after similar freezes of a year or more in any talks as the carrier handled the pandemic.
Purvinas said the 12% single salary “equates to a modest 3% annual increase.”
“This is at the lower end of the Reserve Bank’s expected salary result from the figures with‘ a 3 ahead ’,” he said. “The airline has not taken the negotiation seriously. There have been years of meetings and no progress.”
Purvinas said members would take into account work stoppages and overtime bans.
When asked if he hoped this would create more disruptions for travelers, as the difficult recovery of travel forces flight delays, cancellations and other problems, he said: “We will not have to target holiday periods, “Qantas seems to be doing a good enough job of ruining people. The holidays are without our help.”
Qantas suffered consecutive multimillion-dollar losses as the pandemic crushed activity and travel demand, but is quickly recovering from the damage with net debt now below its target range.
He expects to fall in another loss after taxes in fiscal 2022, but believes earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) will reach between $ 450 million and $ 550 million.
Qantas predicts it will be profitable again in 2023.
The airline will grant 1,000 share rights, as long as it meets the financial targets, to each employee, valued at approximately $ 4,500 at Wednesday’s share price, to help retain staff.
He then described his $ 5,000 bonus offer to employees in late June, but warned that he would break the offer if staff accepted his salary offer or if he was harmed.