Ground services workers accuse Qantas of pitting workgroups against each other under separate subsidiaries
Ground workers at Australian flag carrier Qantas have voted in favour of industrial action to demand job security, a pay rise, and consolidation under a single company banner.
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) announced the development on Tuesday, saying 97% of Qantas Ground Services (QGS) workers "overwhelmingly voted" in favour of industrial action.
The move gives more than 600 QGS workers the right to walk off the job in the coming weeks. No date, however, has been announced.
"These ground workers don't want to go on strike, but after being sold a false promise that this airline would finally treat them with respect, they've got no other choice," said Michael Kaine, TWU's national secretary, in a statement.
The QGS is a wholly owned subsidiary established by former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, with its workforce under casual and part-time positions who perform work for Qantas Freight and the company's Q-Link service.
According to the union, QGS workers are demanding job security and a fair pay rise after years of wage freezes.
"Last week, we saw Qantas crying poor over $2 billion in profits, while the board awarded itself a 17% pay rise – but workers and the public see right through it," Kaine said.
"As a Qantas ground worker you used to be assured of a lifetime career. Now, not only are the jobs transitory and insecure, workers are risking life and limb just to go to work."
Qantas said it remains committed to reaching an agreement with staff that included annual pay rises, Reuters reported.
"Discussions through the Fair Work Commission have been constructive and negotiations are continuing," it said as quoted by the news outlet.
"Our focus is on an agreement that addresses what employees have told us matters most, including pay and more full-time opportunities."
Consolidation under single Qantas banner
Meanwhile, part of QGS workers' demands is the consolidation of its work groups under a single Qantas banner, as they accuse Joyce of forming the subsidiaries to "pit the workgroups against each other."
"Alan Joyce created new companies under Qantas to pit the workgroups against each other. New management is refusing to bring that practice to an end. Despite its assurances of turning over a new leaf, this is the same old Qantas," Kaine said.
"It's time for Qantas to start treating its people as an investment, not a cost to be ruthlessly driven down, and these workers are willing to take industrial action to force them to."
Australian Air Express workers, who are also part of a separate Qantas wholly owned subsidiary, are also asking to be placed under a single banner. Over 100 workers of the subsidiary are set to vote on industrial action, according to the TWU.
Qantas profits drop
The threats of industrial action come as Qantas reported a $2.06-billion underlying profit before tax, down by $330 million from the previous financial year.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson remained optimistic despite the decline in profits, citing "strong results" amid record-high fuel costs and disruption due to the Middle East conflict.
"This has been another year of progress, with customer satisfaction at its highest in a decade and world-leading operational performance, even as the aviation industry faced record high fuel costs and disruption from the conflict in the Middle East," Hudson said in a statement.
"We came through it with a strong result, which is what allows us to continue investing in the largest fleet renewal in our history and deliver more for our customers, people, and shareholders."
