Hundreds of Qantas ground workers staged a 24-hour strike on Wednesday 28 October across five major Australian airports, in a dispute over pay, full-time jobs and safety.

Where the strike took place

Transport Workers' Union members walked out at Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth airports. The workers involved handle freight and, in Sydney, some QantasLink work — the ground roles that keep cargo and regional services moving behind the scenes.

What the workers are seeking

The union's dispute centres on three issues: pay, a greater share of full-time jobs rather than insecure work, and safety standards on the ground. The 24-hour stoppage is the workers' latest step in pressing those claims, rather than a one-airport protest.

What Qantas said

At a glance

The stoppage lasts 24 hours and covers ground workers at five airports: Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. The workers at the centre of the dispute are the Transport Workers' Union members whose jobs cover freight handling and, in Sydney, some QantasLink ground work. Their claims — over pay, full-time jobs and safety — are the three issues the union has put at the heart of this action.

Qantas said it did not expect disruption to customers from the strike, pointing to the freight and QantasLink nature of the affected work in Sydney. Passengers travelling on Wednesday were therefore not warned of widespread cancellations linked to this action, though the union action itself underlines continuing tension over ground-staff conditions at Australia's largest airline. Sources: Travel Weekly and Travel Monitor.