Strike at Qantas disrupting flights

Sydney -- A maintenance workers' strike at Australian airline Qantas has caused flight cancellations but not led to movement in negotiations, a union spokesman said.

Thirty-five flights have been canceled since the strike began and disruptions will continue until negotiations on pay raises resume, Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association spokesman Paul Cousins told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

The union has demanded a 5 percent raise, the report said.

But, the airline has said it won't negotiate until the strike ends, the report said.

"We have no intention of changing our current wages policy given the extraordinary pressures we are facing with record fuel prices, and we will not compromise the future competitiveness of our business," Kevin Brown, Qantas executive general manager people, said in a statement.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.