Hundreds of Qantas engineers kick off fortnight of strikes

Up to 1100 Qantas engineers will down tools today in Melbourne as two weeks of strike action begins.

The industrial action will kick off in the Victorian capital but there are plans for it to go nationwide, at all major airports.

The Qantas Engineers' Alliance said the strike "is highly likely" to affect flights in all major capitals, however a Qantas spokesperson said the airline had put contingency plans in place.

"We don't currently expect this industrial action to have an impact on customers," the Qantas spokesperson said.

"We've held a series of meetings with the unions and made progress on a number of items.

"We want to reach an agreement that includes pay rises and lifestyle benefits for our people."

Up to 1100 staff will be involved in the action from three unions including the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU), the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) and Electrical Trades Union (ETU).

In their fight for increased wages, the alliance is calling for 5 per cent per year and a 15 per cent first-year payment to make up for three-and-a-half years of wage freezes.

"Our highly skilled members deserve fair wages for the incredible work they do to keep us all safe in the air," AMWU national secretary Steve Murphy said.

"As a former aircraft engineer I know they never take industrial action lightly. On this occasion their hand has been forced because Qantas management is refusing to countenance a fair deal," AWU national secretary Paul Farrow said.

"We know Qantas has been struggling to attract new skilled engineers who are flocking to other employers," ATU national secretary Paul Farrow said.

The strike action comes ahead of the AFL grand final this weekend.

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, celebrity and sport via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.