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Qantas to pay out millions in compensation for illegal outsourcing of ground staff
October 22nd 2024
Qantas Airways is facing a compensation bill in the vicinity of A$100 million (US$67 million) for its 2020 decision to illegally outsource the jobs of 1,700 ground handlers. Read More » On October 21, a Federal Court of Australia ordered Qantas to pay three “test cases” of A$30,000, A$40,000 and A$100,000, respectively, for hardship and distress caused by the airline’s illegal action. The court instructed Qantas and Australia's Transport Workers' Union (TWU) to enter mediation to determine individual payouts for the sacked workers. The Australian flag carrier accepted the court's ruling and is expediting the payments, it said. “We sincerely apologise to our former employees impacted by this decision. We know the onus is on Qantas to learn from this,” Qantas Group CEO, Vanessa Hudson, said. “We recognise the emotional and financial impact this has had on these people and their families. We hope this provides closure for those affected.” TWU national secretary, Michael Kaine, said the 1,700 workers were vindicated by the court’s decision. “After relentlessly prolonging this case and denying workers justice, Qantas must do everything in its power to ensure appropriate compensation for workers,” he said. A separate hearing will determine penalties.
