The ACTU welcomes the establishment of a $120 million fund to compensate more than 1800 Qantas workers who were illegally sacked by the airline in 2020 – the largest case of illegal terminations in Australian history.
In a historic win for union members, Qantas agreed to the Transport Workers Union’s proposal for a $120 million compensation pool for economic and non-economic loss suffered by the former workers during the pandemic.
The agreement follows a four-year court battle after the Transport Workers Union’s commencement of a case in the Federal Court in 2020 on behalf of the 1800 workers.
Both the Federal Court and the High Court found that Alan Joyce’s and Qantas’s decision to outsource and cut jobs breached the Fair Work Act and was motivated by a desire to avoid enterprise bargaining and protected industrial action.
The exploitation of loopholes to outsource jobs and suppress wages and conditions by corporate giants reinforces the need to protect the Albanese Government’s vital industrial relations reforms.
The ACTU welcomes the compensation agreement and congratulates the Transport Workers Union for standing up for its members.
Quotes attributable to ACTU Acting Secretary, Joseph Mitchell:
“This is a historic win for union members. We congratulate the Transport Workers Union for achieving justice for the 1800 illegally sacked workers and their loved ones.
“After years of Qantas fighting the Transport Workers Union in the courts, these union members will now finally be compensated for the enormous damage they suffered at the hands of the company under Alan Joyce.
“It is only by joining your union that working people have the resources to take on corporate giants like Qantas.
“As we head into an election next year, the historic win by Qantas workers case reminds all of us about the importance of protecting workers’ rights and keeping big business accountable for their actions.”
