Around 150 engineers back next step in pay dispute

Around 150 professional engineers at Qantas have unanimously backed a move to seek a protected action ballot after more than a year of wage negotiations failed to produce what their union describes as a fair offer.

The group is represented by Professionals Australia and is based mainly at Mascot. Members develop and maintain engineering systems across the Qantas fleet.

They also carry out compliance work, support the introduction, modification and repair of aircraft, and issue engineering authorisations and airworthiness sign-offs needed for fleet operations.

Professionals Australia NSW director Justine McCarthy said the engineers accepted a pay freeze during COVID and then received wage rises that did not keep pace with inflation.

McCarthy said that left members worse off in real terms while workloads, responsibilities and productivity continued to rise.

Action could hit sign-offs and projects

The union has given Qantas detailed evidence of higher productivity and broader duties as the airline introduces and expands new aircraft fleets, according to McCarthy.

Meanwhile, Qantas recently reported underlying profit before tax of $1.46 billion, up 5%.

McCarthy said members want a restorative pay rise that reflects their skills, responsibilities and value to the airline.

The proposed protected action ballot includes several options. Those measures range from stop-work action of one hour to seven days to bans on specific projects and bans affecting critical engineering authorisations and sign-offs.

McCarthy said industrial action, if it becomes necessary, could significantly disrupt normal Qantas operations and delay long-term projects tied to the airline’s future fleet plans.

She said members do not want that outcome and want Qantas to return to bargaining with a fair and reasonable wage offer.