Qantas staff consider "civil disobedience" over job cuts

200 people, including workers, politicians and union leaders, gathered in Sydney this weekend to protest the 5,000 Qantas job cuts.

Unions protesting the proposed cuts are not ruling out strike action as they continue to seek help from the government.

The Transport Workers Union’s National Secretary, Tony Sheldon, says: “It's critically important we say to the community our intention is not to dislocate travellers. But we will take whatever steps are necessary into the future. If people out there are prepared to stand with us, we are prepared to take whatever action is necessary. If that includes civil disobedience, then I am certainly prepared to do it as long as the public stands with us.”

In 2011 Qantas grounded all of its planes causing major disruption for thousands of travellers as disputes between the airline and the unions became heated.