Pacific airlines threaten to export jobs

MASCOT, Australia, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Two Pacific rim airlines are threatening to move some operations out of Australia in order to cut costs, the BBC reports.

Both Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand say they need workers to agree to pay cuts in order to stay competitive. Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon said he could take maintenance and engineering jobs to Asia or North America.

Union officials say they will fight for the 3,000 workers possibly affected.

About 600 Air New Zealand jobs are at risk in a similar outsourcing plan.