Ongoing industrial disputes at Qantas are close to threatening Australia's economy, federal opposition workplace relations spokesman Eric Abetz says.

The ongoing disputes between Qantas and its pilot, engineers, baggage handlers, ground staff and catering employees are over pay claims and calls by its workers for job security.

Last week, the airline's engineers temporarily cancelled strike action in an attempt to force the airline to return to its full flight schedule.

"If it hasn't reached the stage of threatening the national economy, it is getting very close to it," Senator Abetz told the Ten Network yesterday.

"The suspension of industrial activity by the union leadership is an industrial tactic.

"What it does is create even greater uncertainty for the tourism industry and the travelling public."

Senator Abetz said the federal government had not taken action because of the role of the Transport Workers Union secretary Tony Sheldon in the dispute.

"The government unfortunately is impotent in this regard because I think (prime minister) Julia Gillard fears that Tony Sheldon may soon well become her boss when he becomes national president of the ALP," he said.

"And so we've got this bizarre situation where the Minister for Tourism Martin Ferguson is willing to weigh into the dispute and tell it as it is, talk about the damage that it's causing.

"But Ms Gillard and (workplace relations minister) Chris Evans, the responsible minister, are quite silent in relation to this issue."

Mr Sheldon defended the action taken by union members.

"One of the things that we believe is underlying this dispute is the intention by Qantas to offshore more jobs ... while they float the operations for Jetstar in a new you beaut Asian carrier," he told the Ten Network.

"It certainly is more than just pay and conditions.

"It's about whether somebody gets paid, what they get paid, what the conditions are be it in Australia or overseas, and the outsourcing of labour and job security."

Mr Sheldon insisted that the TWU does not want the industrial action to continue.

"I think what everybody wants and that is for this dispute to be resolved. That's the thing that is the common position among the workforce and also the travelling public."

"They've said they want to outsource within this country at many hundreds of dollars a week less and outsource overseas with many thousands of dollars a week less."