In light of Qantas' underlying profits before tax of $2.39 billion, the TWU is calling on the airline to take concrete remediation steps by properly funding decent jobs for workers in its supply chain, where companies like Swissport are suffering up to 400 safety reports a month in some ports, and pilots in the Qantas group are continuing industrial action over an offer that would put them towards the bottom of the industry.
The financial results follow a Federal Court ruling that Qantas must pay a record penalty of $90 million for Australia's largest ever case of illegal sackings, after it agreed to a separate $120 million fund to compensate the affected workers.
Justice Lee's decision on the penalty took into account Qantas' "wrong kind of sorry" for the outsourcing, the company having argued the workers should receive no compensation at all following the High Court's ruling.
Workers in Qantas' supply chain at companies like Swissport are still struggling with low pay, insecure jobs and safety issues, as well as plans to introduce invasive video and audio surveillance to silence workers.
Qantas group pilots at Express Freighters are continuing industrial action over an offer from the company that would put them at the bottom of the industry, and entrench poor work-life balance.
TWU National Assistant Secretary Emily McMillan said:
"We are still yet to see concrete proof that Qantas has changed, and with the announcement of these near-record profits, now is Qantas' chance to really show us.
"Only recently we saw Qantas handed down a record fine for its appalling and illegal decision to sack its ground handling workforce. But while those workers will never get their jobs back, Qantas can step in and ensure that workers in its supply chain have decent jobs and standards.
"At Swissport, which received the bulk of the illegally outsourced work, workers are getting injured, they're on poor pay and conditions, and the company's response has been to introduce invasive video and audio surveillance to silence them. Qantas group pilots are taking action over the airline's lowball offer.
"There are glimmers of change in the new leadership at Qantas but there is a significant uphill battle to upend years of antagonistic attitudes towards workers and ensure decent standards right across the airline's supply chain.
"Ultimately we need a Safe and Secure Skies Commission to ensure that record profits are re-invested back into the community towards decent standards for passengers and workers-and don't go straight to executives' pockets.
