Qantas Airways management has rejected claims by the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) that its employees are pressured to take short cuts on safety procedures.

"ALAEA is making wild allegations and using spurious research to back their arguments," said Qantas engineering general manager David Cox, adding that the airline would never compromise on standards.

"We will not be deterred from strengthening our business and the employment prospects of our people by self-serving statements by certain unions," he said.

ALAEA is asking the government to investigate safety standards at Qantas, saying a survey it conducted revealed 75 per cent of Qantas engineers say they were pressured by management to take short cuts on safety, according to an Australian Broadcasting Corporation report.

A further 81 per cent say their employment will be threatened if costs are not cut, said the ABC report.

Said ALAEA secretary Steve Purvinas: "We've had cases where there's large holes in the containers and they're not airworthy. Managers have come down and said, 'can you please turn a blind eye to that because we've got no containers left'."

The controversy is further coloured by an expected takeover of the Australian flag carrier, and Australian Council of Trade Unions president Sharan Burrow said safety standards will slip if the deal goes through.