The federal opposition will back the Government if it intervenes in the increasingly bitter row between unions and Qantas.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said yesterday that the Fair Work Act gave the Government powers to intervene if the row began to affect the national economy or health and safety.
Asked if the coalition would back such intervention, shadow federal treasurer Joe Hockey said: "Yes, absolutely.
"The unions are holding Qantas to ransom, but more significantly they're holding Australian travellers to ransom," he said.
Qantas ground staff and engineers are holding strikes across the country as they fight for new workplace agreements.
