Qantas and TWU remain deadlocked at Fair Work Commission; union says QantasLink strike next week is likely
Published · Updated
What happened
At Fair Work Commission proceedings on 18 September 2026, Qantas and the Transport Workers Union did not reach agreement in their dispute over QantasLink ground crew. The union publicly warned that a 24-hour strike next week was now likely and said freight and Australia Post shipments could be disrupted as well as passenger services.
Why it matters
A 24-hour stoppage at QantasLink ground operations during a holiday travel window could reduce regional flight reliability and interfere with cargo handling tied to parcels and mail. The case also puts pressure on the Fair Work Commission process and on Qantas's labour-management settings after earlier industrial disputes.
Qantas and the Transport Workers Union remained without agreement at the Fair Work Commission on 18 September 2026 over QantasLink ground crew. The union said a 24-hour strike next week was now likely if talks did not produce movement. The dispute matters beyond airline operations because the TWU said freight and Australia Post shipments could also be affected during the school-holiday travel period.
Watch for
Fair Work Commission listing update or order on the QantasLink ground-crew matter by 2026-09-21 Transport Workers Union formal notice confirming 24-hour protected industrial action for QantasLink ground crew on or after 2026-09-21 Qantas statement detailing contingency schedules, cancellations, or wet-lease/redeployment measures for QantasLink services next week Australia Post service alert naming flight or freight disruptions linked to Qantas/QantasLink from 2026-09-21
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