WYNDHAM residents could be among 260 Qantas employees without a job next year.
The airline announced plans to slash 263 jobs at its Avalon heavy maintenance facility last Thursday as part of an ongoing restructure.
About 150 of the 500 employees at Avalon are Wyndham residents.
Qantas says it will move its aircraft heavy maintenance to Brisbane next year and reduce employee numbers to remain competitive.
As reported by the Weekly, 113 jobs were cut from the Avalon centre in May after Qantas retired five of its 747 aircraft.
Australian Workers Union state secretary Cesar Melhem said workers felt betrayed by Qantas.
Mr Melhem said the AWU and employees thought the restructure of heavy maintenance was completed four months ago and that Avalon had a future.
“We met with these guys six months ago and told them they would have a job for two to three years.
“These are highly-skilled aviation mechanical engineers who have worked to help build the Qantas reputation for safety. It is unthinkable that they are cast aside in this way.”
Worker Rex Simpson, who has worked for Qantas for 20 years, said he was shocked.
“We did think that we had a lot more time left up our sleeves to prepare for it, and possibly those who thought they may have been going, to look for new jobs. It has come as a bit of a shock that it has happened so soon.
“We spend a whole career in training and get to the levels we get to and you kind of feel like you get thrown onto the scrap heap.”
Opposition employment spokesman and Tarneit MP Tim Pallas said Wyndham could not afford to lose more jobs.
He said unemployment in his electorate was at 7.8 per cent, almost 50 per cent higher than the state average.
Qantas domestic chief executive Lyell Strambi said it was unfortunate cuts had to be made.
