Qantas ground workers overwhelmingly back strikes

“Last week we saw Qantas crying poor over $2 billion in profits, while the board awarded itself a 17 per cent pay rise – but workers and the public see right through it,” said TWU national secretary Michael Kaine.

“As a Qantas ground worker you used to be assured of a lifetime career. Now, not only are the jobs transitory and insecure, workers are risking life and limb just to go to work.

“These ground workers don’t want to go on strike, but after being sold a false promise that this airline would finally treat them with respect, they’ve got no other choice.”

QGS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas, which the union says was set up under former chief executive Alan Joyce to “pay workers less than its ‘legacy’ workforce, under casual and part-time positions”.

“The workers now perform work for Qantas Freight, including a large proportion of Australia Post work, and the company’s regional Q-Link service,” the TWU said.

“Another vote on industrial action is soon to commence for over 100 Australian Air Express workers, who are part of a separate Qantas wholly-owned subsidiary and also want to be combined under the one banner.

VIEW ALL

>

“Recently TWU health and safety reps in NSW served Qantas with 14 provisional improvement notices over safety failings by management at Qantas Freight, where investigations are ongoing after a labour hire Qantas Freight worker was killed last year.

“QGS workers are calling for job security, a fair pay rise after years of wage freezes have left them behind, and for the scattered work groups to be brought back together under a single Qantas banner, instead of being pitted against each other.”

According to Kaine, former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce had “created new companies under Qantas to pit the workgroups against each other”.

“New management is refusing to bring that practice to an end. Despite its assurances of turning over a new leaf, this is the same old Qantas,” he said.

“It’s time for Qantas to start treating its people as an investment, not a cost to be ruthlessly driven down, and these workers are willing to take industrial action to force them to.”

Qantas says it takes safety and conditions seriously, with meetings between the airline and the union taking place over recent months and another before the Fair Work Commission scheduled for mid-September. The carrier will be notified well in advance of any industrial action.

“We remain committed to reaching an agreement with our Qantas Ground Services employees that includes annual pay rises for our people,” a Qantas spokesperson said.

“We have well developed contingency plans to minimise any impact on customers and our operations, should we be notified of any industrial action.

“Discussions through the Fair Work Commission have been constructive and negotiations are continuing. Our focus is on an agreement that addresses what employees have told us matters most, including pay and more full-time opportunities.”

QGS employees do not service mainline Qantas flights.