The Transport Workers Union has blamed Qantas management for its members’ decision to take industrial action next week.

The TWU says four-hour work stoppages will occur at all major airports next Tuesday. The bans would be accompanied by administrative bans of greater duration across Qantas baggage handlers, presentation and catering staff, following notice provided to Fair Work Australia yesterday.

Months of frustration caused by aggressive new Qantas management strategies were behind the strike, says the union.

“Qantas management is now in the hands of a board and management that is utterly hostile to good-faith bargaining with trade unions. We haven’t seen this kind of hostility from Qantas previously. It is distressing our members and Qantas staff generally,” said TWU National Secretary Tony Sheldon.

“I believe we are now witnessing typical union-busting strategies imported from the USA and which the mining sector has tried to repeatedly use over the last 10 years.

“The Qantas board and management have such antipathy to the people who have kept them flying and making significant profits that work stoppages are necessary.

“The bottom line is that Qantas is not showing our members anything like reasonable respect. That is reflected in the 95 percent-plus member support for taking action in ballots conducted by the AEC over the last month,” Sheldon said.

“Perhaps the most disturbing rumour to come out of negotiation is Qantas’ plan to bring in overseas-trained strike-breakers to take our members' jobs.

“I want to make it crystal clear: if Qantas attempts to do this, the tarmac will become the wharves of this decade in terms of industrial action."

Sheldon said the TWU is negotiating in good faith and following the law and it expects Qantas to do the same.