Union slams Qantas baggage handling plan

BTN News
Tuesday, 23 April 2024

In Australia, Qantas's decision to ask about 100 senior office staff to volunteer as airport baggage handlers has drawn a sharp response from the Transport Workers' Union (TWU), which warns of safety incidents and says the move is "likely to make airport chaos worse".

The carrier wants the volunteers to help out from mid-August for three months, loading, unloading, sorting and scanning bags as a 'contingency plan' to counter a combination of ongoing Covid-19 cases, a bad flu season and "the tightest labour market in decades", all affecting airport operations.

But Michael Kaine, TWU national secretary told the media: "Throwing inexperienced workers into the aviation mix is likely to make airport chaos worse, particularly given the serious risks of injuries and safety incidents if workers aren't appropriately trained and experienced." 

The airline responded that the executives would undergo "the same level of training as any new recruit".

Qantas replaced 2,000 ground staff with outsourced workers in 2020, citing the need to cut costs and the impacts of the Covid pandemic on the aviation industry. 

Australia's federal court ruled the move was unlawful, which Qantas appealed and lost. That case is now being appealed in the country's high court.

Kaine is linking the two, saying Qantas asking for office staff to help is an "admission" that the outsourcing move had "achieved nothing other than the total devastation of what was once Qantas' trusted service".

He added: "It's a shocking insult that nearly 2,000 experienced workers are forced to sit at home because their jobs were stolen".

Union slams Qantas baggage handling plan

BTN News
Tuesday, 23 April 2024

In Australia, Qantas's decision to ask about 100 senior office staff to volunteer as airport baggage handlers has drawn a sharp response from the Transport Workers' Union (TWU), which warns of safety incidents and says the move is "likely to make airport chaos worse".

The carrier wants the volunteers to help out from mid-August for three months, loading, unloading, sorting and scanning bags as a 'contingency plan' to counter a combination of ongoing Covid-19 cases, a bad flu season and "the tightest labour market in decades", all affecting airport operations.

But Michael Kaine, TWU national secretary told the media: "Throwing inexperienced workers into the aviation mix is likely to make airport chaos worse, particularly given the serious risks of injuries and safety incidents if workers aren't appropriately trained and experienced." 

The airline responded that the executives would undergo "the same level of training as any new recruit".

Qantas replaced 2,000 ground staff with outsourced workers in 2020, citing the need to cut costs and the impacts of the Covid pandemic on the aviation industry. 

Australia's federal court ruled the move was unlawful, which Qantas appealed and lost. That case is now being appealed in the country's high court.

Kaine is linking the two, saying Qantas asking for office staff to help is an "admission" that the outsourcing move had "achieved nothing other than the total devastation of what was once Qantas' trusted service".

He added: "It's a shocking insult that nearly 2,000 experienced workers are forced to sit at home because their jobs were stolen".