Qantas Ground Workers Plan Strikes During School Holidays Over Pay

Jared Kim · 2026-09-18T02:20:41.124Z

I get the workers are upset after that huge outsourcing fine, but striking during school holidays will ruin too many family trips.

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About 600 Qantas ground workers and roughly 100 Australian air Express employees plan a 24-hour strike next week during school holidays. The Transport Workers' Union announced the action on Friday. The stoppage is set for Wednesday in Victoria and Thursday elsewhere in Australia. The workers primarily support Qantas Freight and regional QantasLink services. The TWU wants a single agreement covering ground staff and freight handlers across Qantas businesses and labor-hire groups. The dispute follows courts ruling unlawful Qantas's pandemic outsourcing of about 1,800 ground jobs, which brought an A$90 million fine. Qantas says it has contingency plans and will pursue talks via the Fair Work Commission. Contested The union ties the strike to wages, job security and fragmented agreements. Qantas says contingency plans will minimize passenger effects and that it will pursue Fair Work Commission talks.