TWU: Qantas magnates cry poor

“Qantas wants its employees to continue working under the EBA struck under WorkChoices, and has refused to move an inch on job security and outsourcing their jobs”, TWU National Secretary Tony Sheldon said.

Qantas has taken a belligerent approach to its employees when it comes to them securing guarantees about workforce retention and outsourcing. It is unclear whether self-styled union-buster Qantas Chairman, Leigh Clifford or CEO Alan Joyce is directing negotiations.

The only certainty is that both men have done very well out of Qantas, with Clifford receiving a 50% pay rise over three years (to $635,000 per year) for conducting meetings, while Alan Joyce’s package has had a steroid injection, with a 71% increase taking his pay packet to $5 million.

“It really is hard to fathom how management can look employees in they eye and say the cupboard is bare when executive salaries have sky-rocketed and the company ran a $531m pre-tax profit last year,” Lead Negotiator Scott Connolly said today.

“Qantas employees support Qantas. Most have a much longer connection to the airline than anyone in management. They are now comparing the Qantas they once looked on as an extension of their family with the so-called New Spirit of Qantas, which wants to relocate to Asia and outsource jobs left, right and centre.”

Qantas has this week spent millions on placing disingenuous ads in all major newspapers lamenting the dispute they have caused and could settle with a few hours goodwill. The TWU wants to settle this matter ASAP to give the travelling public certainty.

“If they spent half as much time working on settling this dispute as they have counting the hours and flights affected in the last month and bad-mouthing their employees in the media, this dispute would be over”, Mr Sheldon said.

“Qantas should apologise to its employees instead of taking out expensive ads. “These workers are also waiting for an apology from Alan Joyce for inferring Qantas employees had threatened him and other senior employees, a claim for which no evidence has been produced.

“Oh, and where is the Police investigation into the Qantas threats up to? A week has now passed and no-one has made contact with the union. Have the Qantas computers been checked yet?” Mr Sheldon said.