Vic govt should help keep Qantas jobs: ALP

Qantas maintenance workers in Victoria want the state government to step in and prevent their jobs being moved away under the airline’s rationalisation plans.

The Victorian government came under pressure during question time on Thursday to reveal what it was doing to keep the airline’s heavy maintenance jobs in the state.

Premier Ted Baillieu told parliament the government was making representations to the airline to avoid the jobs being relocated.

Qantas announced in February that 500 jobs would be made redundant nationally and further positions were on the line as it reviewed heavy maintenance and catering operations employing more than 2000 people.

The airline wants to consolidate its three heavy-maintenance bases – at Tullamarine and Avalon in Victoria and in Brisbane – to remain sustainable.

The sites collectively employ about 1400 people.

Qantas Tullamarine worker of 11 years Anthony Surace said he wanted the government to act.

“At the moment we’re seeing nothing and they’re not coming out to say, ‘This is what we’re doing,’ so it’s disappointing,” he told reporters.

Mr Surace said waiting on an outcome was hard on workers, and he wanted the government to offer some form of security.

“We have niche skills. We don’t know where we’re going to go after this,” he said.

Opposition leader Daniel Andrews said people’s livelihoods were at stake, and Premier Ted Baillieu needed to fight to save their jobs.

“He needs to get out from under his desk, get off his backside and do whatever it takes to keep these maintenance jobs in our state for a strong future for this industry,” he told reporters.

Mr Baillieu told parliament the government would lobby the airline.

“We are going to present a strong case to Qantas,” he said.

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