QANTAS WORKERS ASK THE QUESTIONS THE BOARD SHOULD – BUT WON’T – ANSWER AT THE AGM

PRESS CONFERENCE 8:30AM TOMORROW:

SYDNEY AIRPORT QANTAS DOMESTIC T3 
DOWNSTAIRS BAGGAGE RECLAIM

TWU National Assistant Secretary Nick McIntosh,
TWU NSW/QLD Secretary Richard Olsen, Qantas workers

Background
Many Qantas workers are shareholders, but despite attempts every year, their questions are never put to the board at the AGM. Over 100 current and illegally sacked Qantas workers have submitted the questions they want to be answered by the board.

Qantas is set to face 15 days in court over the next two months for breaching the Fair Work Act to illegally outsource nearly 2000 workers and in a prosecution brought by SafeWork NSW for standing down a trained health and safety representative giving legitimate COVID-19 advice to workers.

This year, Qantas’ reputation is in tatters as service standards plummeted following recent attacks on workers, including:

·        Illegal outsourcing

·        Wage freezes

·        The withholding of bonus payments tied to workers agreeing to substandard agreements

·        Threats of outsourcing

·        Attempts to terminate agreements (slashing pay in half)

·        Terminally ill workers denied their accrued sick leave

·        Qantas pocketing JobKeeper entitlements

·        Chronic understaffing, undertraining and inexperience at ground handling labour providers leading to serious safety breaches (link)

Media contact: Pippa Hatton 0418 982 257