Court Orders End To Qantas Dispute

Australia's industrial regulator has ordered an end to strike action by Qantas Airways employees.

In the latest twist in a prolonged and bitter dispute over pay, conditions and restructuring, a labour tribunal ruled that the unions should immediately return to the negotiating table.

Qantas and the three unions now have 21 days to reach an agreement or face binding arbitration.

Fair Work Australia, an independent industrial umpire, was appointed by the government on Saturday after Qantas grounded its entire global fleet, affecting almost 500 flights and more than 68,000 passengers by Sunday afternoon.

The airline has said its planes will not fly until 1am UK time at the very earliest.

Unions had been pushing for the tribunal to call for a suspension to the strikes for 90 to 120 days so negotiations could take place.

But, prior to the ruling, Quantas chief executive Alan Joyce said there were no guarantees the airline would resume flying unless the three-person tribunal oredered all industrial action terminated.

In a statement, Fair Work Australia said: "We have decided that in the particular circumstances of this case, which on the evidence include the particular vulnerability of the tourism industry to uncertainty, suspension will not provide sufficient protection against the risk of significant damage.

"We should do what we can to avoid significant damage to the tourism industry."

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