Qantas ground workers are planning industrial action next week following continual negotiation deadlocks for better pay and conditions between the major Australian airline and the Transport Workers’ Union.
The constant battle between Qantas and the union has been ongoing since 2021, when 1800 airport ground service workers were replaced with outsourced staff after they were illegally fired.
The decision was made under the leadership of former CEO Alan Joyce in an attempt to dilute the power of union groups by outsourcing contractors and hiring staff under a range of enterprise agreements, causing division in the workforce.
Eleven months after negotiations about their treatment commenced, the remaining 650 ground service crew are planning a 24-hour strike on Thursday, September 24.
“Workers do not take this action lightly,” Transport Workers’ Union National Secretary Michael Kaine told the ABC outside of the Fair Work Commission on Friday.
“Old habits die hard, and the same despicable Alan Joyce tactic of splintering the Qantas workforce has been dusted off by the new bosses who want to suppress wages and smash conditions.”
Workers involved in the industrial action work for branches of Qantas Freight and QantasLink, so regional flights and freight services in and out of Sydney will be affected.
While these staff members do not work for mainline or international Qantas services, the disruptions are still expected to span across postal services and regional travel.
“Qantas operates essentially a sham arrangement where it puts these companies that they own in competition with one another to try and get to the cheapest outcome,” Mr Kaine said.
“These workers are not going to stand for it and that means very likely industrial action next Thursday. It means disruption.”
Qantas has assured customers that there are plans in place to minimise travel impact during industrial action despite school holidays commencing for Victoria and Queensland next week, and other states soon after.
“We have well-developed contingency plans to minimise any impact on customers and our operations, should we be notified of any industrial action,” a Qantas spokesperson said.
The airline also reinforced comments it made in August about the ongoing union negotiations.
“We remain committed to reaching an agreement with our Qantas Ground Services employees that includes annual pay rises for our people.
“Our focus is on an agreement that addresses what employees have told us matters most, including pay and more full-time opportunities.”
Mr Kaine has insisted that disruption is necessary to reach a point of agreement between parties.
“Any disruption to freight, including Australia Post shipments, sits solely at the feet of Qantas management and its brutal disregard for customers and the workforce,” Mr Kaine said.
Australia Post has issued a statement confirming “detailed contingency plans” are in place to minimise impact on delivery services and their customers whilst a freight partner is undertaking industrial action.
Mr Kaine claims an agreement must be reached amidst increasingly dangerous working conditions, as “shocking safety failures” have been reported since Qantas contracted out ground handling services to Swissport in 2020.
“This action comes just over a year after a Qantas Freight worker was tragically killed on Father’s Day,“ he said.
“This is corporate greed on steroids, and it comes at the expense of quality service for customers, and safe, reliable jobs for the workforce.”
Qantas disputes these claims, saying there has been no increase in safety incidents in the past six years.
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