Hundreds of striking Jetstar staff members are urging the company to return to the bargaining table as a bitter industrial dispute forces the Australian budget airline to ground more flights.
Workers first held strikes in December last year after the Transport Workers Union accused the budget airline of proposing an agreement "designed to keep Jetstar workers impoverished".
A new round of strikes forced the airline to ground some 48 flights across Australia on Wednesday morning.
TWU secretary Michael Kaine says Jetstar and parent company Qantas are "acting like corporate dictators".
"All around the country Jetstar workers are standing up to the company and saying 'no, it's not good enough'," he told striking workers during a rally at Sydney Airport.
"The time has come for this company to return to the table and get back to the partnership that existed 10 years ago."
Mr Kaine also dragged the county's airports into the spat, which is heading into its third month.
"We are going to tell the airports that they have a responsibility here," he said.
"They are allowing companies like Jetstar and Qantas to impose these terms and conditions. That's not good enough."
Jetstar says the strikes are causing an "unforgivable" disruption to travellers.
But chief executive Gareth Evans said three quarters of impacted customers have been rescheduled on flights within three hours of their original departure time. Refunds are also available if requested.
Mr Evans described the airline's offer to workers as "a strong package".
"It's a three per cent wage deal (increase) together with the ability to secure back pay and benefits around rostering and around allowances," Mr Evans told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.
"The TWU is prosecuting a broader agenda - this is part of their 2020 year of action against airports and airlines. Unfortunately, we're first cab off the rank."
Mr Evans said a vote on the proposed deal would take place early next week.
Australian Associated Press
