Qantas has lost its appeal against a Federal Court decision that found the outsourcing of about 2,000 ground crew workers was illegal.
Last year, in one of the largest reinstatement cases ever heard, the Federal Court
found in favour of the Transport Workers Union (TWU) against Qantas in challenging the outsourcing of about 2,000 jobs by the airline. It found Qantas' decision to outsource the baggage-handling and cleaning jobs was in breach of the Fair Work Act. Qantas appealed that decision, but the Full Federal Court on Wednesday dismissed the airline's attempt to overturn a ruling that it sacked workers illegally.
Further remedy hearings will now take place to determine the compensation Qantas should pay to workers, as well as the penalties for the illegal sackings. In December, the
Federal Court rejected TWU's application for reinstatement of workers' jobs. The TWU is now calling for a substantial compensation package for workers.
It also has called on the Qantas board to sack its chief executive, Alan Joyce, and the key decision-maker in the outsourcing case, domestic and international chief executive Andrew David. "Through unity, resilience and determination, Qantas workers have achieved a huge victory," TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said. After a horror 18-months having lifelong careers savagely and illegally ripped away from them, workers stood tall and took on one of the harshest and most powerful companies in the country. "Today those workers have been heard, vindicated, and celebrated for their courage.
"Qantas executives deliberately targeted and attacked workers and broke the law in sacking them to prevent them exercising their rights."
More to come.