Fed: Qantas, unions in talks
MELBOURNE, Feb 1 AAP - Qantas maintenance unions have begun conciliatory talks withthe airline's lawyers over a dispute which saw Sydney workers walk off the job yesterday.
Workers walked out again in protest this morning, disrupting road traffic for morethan an hour as they rallied outside the airline's Sydney Airport terminal.
In Melbourne, workers called a stop-work meeting after employees were stood down withoutpay, but returned to their jobs a short time later.
At an urgent Australian Industrial Relations Commission hearing today, lawyers forthe Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) and Australian Workers Union (AWU) saidstaff took action after Qantas tested union work bans by standing down, without pay, hundredsof employees who refused to work overtime.
The AIRC was told of one case in which a worker who hadn't done overtime in 13 yearswas sent home without pay after indicating he would refuse to work extra hours.
Qantas claimed they had no choice but to take such action after unions escalated workbans despite undertaking not to.
The work bans are part of a protected industrial campaign by maintenance employees,AMWU and AWU members, who have refused to accept a Qantas wage freeze proposal.
Qantas lawyer Richard Dalton told commissioner Ian Watson the work bans were now affectingthe airline's operations.
"There has been a buildup over the last few months of overtime bans," Mr Dalton said.
"This (Qantas action) is a last resort."
The commission was told there was a blanket refusal by Melbourne maintenance employeesto work overtime.
In Sydney, employees were less resistant but there were pockets within the maintenancedepartment who were refusing to take on extra work.
Mr Dalton told the commission reasonable overtime and weekend work has been consideredpart of normal maintenance procedures.
Urgent talks to end the dispute are continuing in confidence in the commission this afternoon.
AAP jmw/szp/jlw/tnf/bwl
KEYWORD: QANTAS MAINTENANCE LEAD
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