Qantas is facing fresh industrial unrest after regional ground handling crews voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking strike action, signalling a major escalation in the long‑running dispute over pay and working conditions. According to the Transport Workers Union (TWU), 97 per cent of the 350 workers who cast a ballot backed industrial action, including stoppages ranging from one hour to 24 hours.
No strike date has been set, but the union must provide three days’ notice before any action begins. TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said workers had reached breaking point after years of declining conditions.
“These ground workers don’t want to go on strike, but after being sold a false promise that this airline would finally treat them with respect, they’ve got no other choice,” he said, adding that staff had seen their pay, safety and conditions fall to rock‑bottom levels.
The looming stoppages follow a similar confrontation earlier in August, when Qantas’s long‑haul pilots voted in favour of industrial action before eventually securing a wage agreement with the airline.
Qantas said it remained committed to reaching a deal that includes annual pay rises, though the airline has not publicly detailed the full terms of its offer. With tensions rising across multiple divisions of the company, the carrier now faces mounting pressure to resolve disputes before they disrupt regional travel.
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