Airport workers across Australia to protest over Qantas ‘Joyce-era’ tactics
Aviation workers will protest at major airports in Australia on Thursday, demanding better safety standards and fairer conditions in the industry.
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) claims “Joyce-era” tactics led by Qantas led to employee injuries and one death as the airline outsourced supply chain work to dozens of external companies.
An aviation employee said that his friend lost a finger due to the tow hook of the tugboat, and another person was crushed under the cargo loader and his feet were damaged.
The union claimed Swissport, a company to which the airline outsources ground handling, received nearly 400 safety reports in a month and was being investigated by safety regulators in Sydney and Brisbane.
The union also claimed Qantas Freight used around eight different companies to carry out its work and that the fragmentation of operations had led to “sub-optimal standards” and the death of a hired worker last year.
The union alleged that another company was paying its employees poverty-level wages.
TWU said the workers were employed by Qantas but were now spread across 38 different subsidiaries and labor hire companies.
One worker said they had been trying to find a full-time job for 15 years, but it was no longer an industry that offered job security.
The union wants airlines and airports to fund fair standards and return good jobs to the industry, which it says deteriorated during Alan Joyce’s reign at Qantas.
TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said despite promises of change following the biggest illegal outsourcing in Australian history, it was clear Qantas was still actively working to lower standards in aviation.
“Across the Qantas supply chain, workers are being injured or even killed just doing their jobs,” he said.
“The jobs that once led to lifelong careers are insecure and temporary.
“Instead of investing in its workforce, Qantas is still doing its best to drive standards to the bottom by sending its workforce to companies like Swissport where we are witnessing horrific worker injuries.
“It’s time for Qantas and airlines and airports across Australia to fund decent jobs so we have an aviation sector that works for everyone, and for that we need the Safe and Secure Skies Commission.”
Flights are not expected to be disrupted during the protests planned to be held in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Qantas and Swissport have been contacted for comment.
