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The TWU has called for Richard Goyder to expedite his departure following news the Qantas chairman will step down before next year’s AGM.
National secretary Michael Kaine has dismissed the Flying Kangaroo’s announcement of its board refresh, saying the board is in breach of its own code of ethics and that Goyder should follow former CEO Alan Joyce out the door as soon as possible.
Kaine called for the CEO position to be removed from the Board and replaced with a worker representative, and said one thing Joyce did right was “take an early exit, and Goyder should follow him”.
“This isn’t genuine board renewal, this is just shuffling the deckchairs. This announcement is an attempt by Goyder to leave in a dignified manner with another year’s pay in his pocket, after presiding over the largest case of illegal sackings in Australian history,” he said.
“We need to put an end to illegal conduct being blindly rubber-stamped by a board that fails to scrutinise the CEO who is treated as their equal by having a place on the board. With no worker representation, Qantas governance has ignored the needs of the workforce and decimated jobs and standards.
“A fresh start for Qantas governance requires a new board composition that excludes the CEO and embeds a worker representative to avoid the repeat of colossal errors of judgement being repeated.”
Kaine also reiterated calls for an external aviation regulator, a long-time demand from the TWU.
“The total failure of this board, which is in breach of its own Code of Conduct and Ethics, has exposed the absence of a regulatory body to ensure our national carrier and aviation industry are operating appropriately and effectively,” he said.
“Qantas has become a wannabe luxury consumer brand that really acts as a funnel for corporate greed. The legal loopholes it has exploited must be closed, and a Safe and Secure Skies Commission established to stabilise our essential aviation industry.”
