Jetstar workers, like all in Aviation wanted a better future. That’s why they were fighting against the proposed agreement from Jetstar managers.
Jetstar’s policy of keeping its workers underemployed and subsisting on low wages has not gone away. Many Jetstar workers because of this deal will be forced onto contracts guaranteeing them no more than 20 hours a week, while the company continues to outsource work to exploited underpaid workers in the likes of Swissport.
Jetstar acted like a corporate dictator by ramming this disgraceful deal through, using blackmail tactics in threatening to withhold rate increases.
Airport workers will keep up the fight against underemployment and for better jobs. Their futures and their families depend on it. Within the Qantas Group, workers at Qantas Group Services are currently in negotiations with the company to increase guarantee work beyond 20 hours a week.
These workers have been inspired at how Jetstar workers stood up to the company and took strike action.
Jetstar has yet to comply with two improvement notices from SafeWork NSW related to dangerous understaffing and broken equipment. Workers are at risk of “serious injury” from being “crushed” and “ingested” by aircraft, one notice said.
It is disappointing that it is left solely up to workers to wage the fight against underemployment. The Federal Government refuses to even acknowledge the problem and instead backs in companies like Qantas that leaves workers scrambling for extra hours. This problem is impoverishing families and the Government needs to stop ignoring it.
This is the action held in Sydney recently. #JetstarSolidarity When Jetstar workers are under attack, we will stand up, we will fight back.
