AMWU delegates working for Qantas Engineering have put the restructures of 2012 behind them and begun the next phase of campaigning to protect maintenance jobs at the iconic company. 

Together with their counterparts from the Qantas Engineers Alliance (comprised of the AWU and the ETU), 27 delegates met last week for three days in Sydney to plan and prepare for the latest round of collective bargaining, due to begin in late October.

AMWU Assistant National Secretary Glenn Thompson said the mood among the Alliance Unions was positive despite the setback of job losses.

“The recent developments have highlighted the need for the three alliance unions to ensure we engage members on the key challenges and priorities. We’re more focused and our delegates are more aware of matters of importance for all members.

“During the meeting in Sydney the alliance discussed processes that will take place in the lead in to bargaining and the changes to CASA’s regulations. We also discussed the challenges facing Qantas, in light of the closure of Melbourne heavy maintenance and consolidation of component maintenance from Sydney to Melbourne.

“Alliance members should take comfort in the knowledge that the unions have reached a consensus on all of these items, including the bargaining process.”

AMWU delegate Sam Corrie, from Brisbane heavy maintenance base, said the meeting was a great start in preparation for bargaining.

“We’ve hit the ground running. We’re forming committees to start the preparation on key issues, and will survey the membership, mass meeting will begin soon and we’ll be putting out surveys by September.

“Across the Alliance, we all feel as if our heads are still on the chopping block. We’re going to be working harder together to make sure that (further job losses) don’t happen.”

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