Qantas pilots vote to take industrial action

Long-haul pilots with Australian airline Qantas have voted to take their first industrial action in 45 years, but said Monday that a strike would only be a last resort. A ballot of the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) overwhelmingly voted to take industrial action, their first since 1966, over their push for a Qantas pilot to captain every Qantas flight. "We believe and the public believes that when you board a Qantas flight you are entitled to a Qantas pilot in the cockpit," association president Barry Jackson said. "That's part of the deal when you fly Qantas. You expect the world-leading safety culture of Australian Qantas pilots." Jackson has previously said that industrial action could include two-day work stoppages, but said Monday that pilots would decide over the weekend what form their action would take. The union's 1,700 international Qantas pilots have now been asked to vote on a range of possible options, ranging from non-compliance with the uniform code to a two-day strike. "Qantas pilots dedicate their careers to looking after Qantas passengers, so naturally we will be doing everything possible to minimise disruption to travellers and focus the pressure on management," Jackson said. Qantas pilots have been negotiating new wages and conditions for more than nine months and say the issue of job security is central to their claims. The national carrier has admitted its international business is loss making and in need of a shake-up, but has refused to confirm it will build a new service out of Asia. The airline is battling rising fuel costs, greater regional competition and a soaring Australian currency that is hurting holiday travel to long-haul destinations such as Australia.