Fair Work Australia to decide Qantas dispute with Licenced Engineers.
The ongoing dispute between Qantas and the Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association is set to be decided by Fair Work Australia, after the parties failed to reach agreement within the 21 day mandatory negotiation period which commenced during the Qantas grounding.
According to a statement just issued by Qantas, neither the airline nor the union sought an extension of negotiations.
QF ceo Alan Joyce said the failure to reach agreement meant that the independent umpire would now decide.
“We will continue to explore any opportunities with the licenced engineers’ union to reduce the number of matters that need to be arbitrated on,” he said.
The announcement follows the news this afternoon that the Qantas dispute with the Transport Workers Union would also be decided by Fair Work Australia.
Joyce said that since the FWA-ordered termination of industrial action “Qantas customers have returned in large numbers…and they can continue to book flights with absolute confidence that their flights will not be disrupted by industrial action”.
More information in tomorrow’s Travel Daily.