Thousands face disruption from looming Qantas strikes

A STRIKE planned by Qantas engineers for Monday could leave passengers stranded over the school holidays.

The airline was at loggerheads with its engineers union yesterday with Qantas demanding the strike be called off and the union warning they were ready to make a stand "until the cows come home".

Lyell Strambi, from Qantas' Group Executive Operations, declared the Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association's decision a "reckless" and deliberate disruption of holiday makers plans.

"If the union is serious about not disrupting the travel plans of Australians then they should call off the strikes immediately," he said.

He yesterday rejected an offer from the ALAEA to provide strike breakers for their own work stoppages, claiming they were seeking to be paid four times their normal wage to do so.

The ALAEA said it was trying to protect the future of the company from Qantas staff who were part of the management team when Ansett collapsed.

Steven Purvinas, ALAEA federal secretary, denied the claim engineers would be paid four times their normal rate, insisting they would only receive double-time wages.

He said any strike-breakers that Qantas may be considering would cost the airline more than accepting the union's offer.

"The last time they used strike breakers they forgot to take the chocks out from behind the wheels of the aircraft," he said.

As air travellers prepare for the possibility of further disruptions, Mr Purvinas warned the union would not back down.

"We are concerned about the long-term future of the airline, and if we have to make a stand for this we will until the cows come home," he said.

Negotiations between Qantas and the ALAEA have been going for about nine months, but yesterday hit an impasse over the retention of existing aircraft safety checks by licensed engineers and maintenance work being done overseas.