Baggage handlers and ground crews working on Qantas services have overwhelmingly voted to strike in a move that could disrupt Australians’ holiday travel plans.
About 1000 Dnata workers across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia today voted 98 per cent in favour of protected industrial action.
They also overwhelmingly rejected Dnata’s offer of improved rostering, job security and pay for a second time.
Dnata is one of the companies Qantas outsourced ground handling operations to after the illegal sacking of about 1700 workers during the pandemic.
“As a result, wages for workers getting Qantas planes off the ground have been slashed and suppressed,” the Transport Workers Union (TWU) said in a statement.
Workers are demanding more hours, fairer rosters and better jobs to rebuild jobs in aviation, which the union claimed has become “low-paid and insecure”.
A date for industrial action has not been set but the union is meeting with Dnata soon.
If talks fail, the union warned there may be disruptions over the busy Christmas period.
“Dnata ground workers are, like many in aviation, struggling to stay in this industry under the current pay rates and conditions,” TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said.
“Dnata must come back to the table with a fair offer so that low-paid workers and travellers avoid unnecessary disruption over the busy Christmas period.
“Ground handling is a highly-skilled job, but thousands of experienced workers have been forced out of the industry by Qantas’ illegal outsourcing, and those who are left are under-staffed, with low wages and insecure jobs.
“We’re going to continue seeing a revolving door in aviation and falling standards for passengers until this industry is rebalanced.”
9news.com.au has contacted Qantas and Dnata for comment.
