State's Qantas workers face axe

Qantas engineers in Melbourne have lost out as the airline transfer slabs of work at Tullamarine to Sydney.

By InvestSMART · 22 Feb 2012

By InvestSMART ·
22 Feb 2012

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Qantas engineers in Melbourne have lost out as the airline transfer slabs of work at Tullamarine to Sydney.

QANTAS engineers in Melbourne have lost out to their northern counterparts because the airline has transferred significant slabs of work done at Tullamarine to Sydney.

New details have emerged of the Melbourne engineering jobs to be axed, in the wake of Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce's announcement last Thursday that 500 jobs across the airline would go, with more to follow.

In a letter dated February 16, the airline's industrial relations manager, Sue Bussell, told the aircraft maintenance engineers' union, ''a decision has been made to consolidate ? [certain] Melbourne-based operations into Sydney''.

The Melbourne-based positions to be axed include:

?Ninety jobs from the aircraft airworthiness division by next February.

?Sixty jobs from the engineering supply chain in six to eight months.

?Thirty-one Melbourne jobs from the maintenance operations centre by August.

In addition, another 30 licensed aircraft maintenance engineers' jobs would go (from unspecified locations), as a result of scrapping the practice of having an engineer check all planes before all flights.

These job cuts are separate from the 1400 jobs at risk due to the rationalisation of Qantas' three heavy maintenance facilities to two, or just one location, which is subject to a 60-day review.

Avalon employs about 660 people, while there are 400 employees each at Tullamarine and Brisbane.

But despite the transfer of work from Melbourne to Sydney hangars, Sydney doesn't escape cuts, either.

A further 41 jobs at Sydney's aircraft maintenance facility and international terminal will be made redundant as a result of the accelerated retirement of two ageing Boeing 747s.

This is in addition to 30 redundancies and four aircraft retirements announced last August.

Yesterday, the aircraft engineers' union leaders met airline management for the first time to discuss the cuts and the heavy maintenance review.

A Qantas spokesman said the airline would offset some of the Melbourne job losses by adding some in Sydney, but declined to say how many.

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Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

What Qantas job cuts were announced and how many roles are affected?

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce announced that 500 jobs across the airline would go, with more cuts to follow. Separately, detailed Melbourne engineering cuts and up to 1,400 jobs at risk from a heavy maintenance rationalisation have been reported.

Why are Qantas engineers in Melbourne losing work to Sydney?

According to a February 16 letter from Qantas industrial relations manager Sue Bussell, the airline has decided to consolidate certain Melbourne-based operations into Sydney, which has led to the transfer of significant slabs of work from Tullamarine to Sydney hangars.

Which specific Melbourne engineering roles are being axed and when?

The Melbourne cuts listed include 90 jobs from the aircraft airworthiness division by next February, 60 jobs from the engineering supply chain within six to eight months, and 31 roles from the maintenance operations centre by August.

How are changes to pre-flight checks affecting Qantas maintenance engineers?

Qantas plans to scrap the practice of having an engineer check all planes before every flight, and as a result another 30 licensed aircraft maintenance engineers’ jobs would be lost (locations were not specified in the article).

Is Sydney also facing Qantas job cuts and why?

Yes. Sydney will lose a further 41 jobs at its aircraft maintenance facility and international terminal due to the accelerated retirement of two ageing Boeing 747s, in addition to 30 redundancies and four aircraft retirements announced last August.

How many employees work at Qantas heavy maintenance locations mentioned in the article?

The article reports that Avalon employs about 660 people, while Tullamarine and Brisbane each have around 400 employees at their heavy maintenance facilities.

What is the heavy maintenance rationalisation and how many jobs could it put at risk?

Qantas is reviewing the rationalisation of its three heavy maintenance facilities down to two, or possibly one, locations. That review could put about 1,400 jobs at risk and is subject to a 60‑day review period.

How have unions and Qantas management responded to the announced cuts?

Aircraft engineers’ union leaders met airline management for the first time to discuss the announced cuts and the heavy maintenance review. Qantas also said it would offset some Melbourne job losses by adding roles in Sydney but declined to specify how many.