Qld looks to get Qantas maintenance jobs from Philippines

As Pacific Brands and other companies send Australia jobs offshore, negotiations are underway which could see hundreds of Queensland aviation industry jobs protected and more jobs created.

The Australian Workers' Union Queensland vice-president Marina Williams said negotiations with Qantas to move the maintenance of more than 20 A330s passenger aircraft from The Philippines to Brisbane were well advanced."

The ageing 767 fleet is being phased out by Qantas," Ms Williams said. "There are up to 400 staff working in the hangars in Brisbane servicing and maintaining these aircraft," Ms Williams said.

The potential was for many of these jobs to be lost in coming years as the 767 fleet was phased out. "However, we are negotiating for more than 20 of the new A330s to be serviced here in Brisbane rather than the Philippines."

Ms Williams said the Queensland government's efforts over the last decade to build a world-leading aviation industry had been critical to the negotiations to protect and create local aviation jobs.

The agreement we are negotiating offers to not only protect 400 jobs, but create more jobs and invest in upskilling of staff."Employers, whether they are from the public or private sector, should do all they can to retain skilled staff in tough economic times and plan for future recovery," she said.