Katter calls for Joyce's head
On Monday 31 October 2011, 9:10
Federal independent MP Bob Katter says Qantas CEO Alan Joyce should be sacked before he destroys the airline.
Qantas has been told to get its planes back in the air after Fair Work Australia ordered an immediate end to all industrial action by the airline and by unions angry about pay and conditions.
All Qantas planes were grounded on Saturday, leaving nearly 70,000 passengers stranded in 22 countries, and the airline had been threatening to lock out all employees from tonight.
But the industrial umpire's ruling means all parties now have 21 days to negotiate a settlement to the dispute.
Mr Katter says Qantas will be foreign-owned if Mr Joyce gets his way, and says he will meet with union leaders later today to warn them not to fall into the airline's "trap".
"I would call upon the [Qantas] board, if there is anyone left there with any sense of brains, that they should have him dismissed immediately before we move into the Ansett-type situation," Mr Katter said.
Mr Katter says he believes Mr Joyce is preparing to sack thousands of workers and ship their jobs overseas where labour is cheap.
But David Goodwin from Queensland's Chamber of Commerce and Industry disagrees with Mr Katter.
He says Mr Joyce was forced to make a "desperate decision" to shut the airline down to bring an end to the damaging industrial action by unions.
"They have taken the only action that is going to bring it to a swift end," he said.
"Now that everybody is talking about it and now that everybody is focused I think that Alan Joyce has found himself in the fire, but no doubt he has the support of his board and shareholders.
"Katter's response bears no reality from the perspective of the employer and many of these businesses that do face union action day in, day out, week in, week out.
"I think it shows very little perspective just how hard these airlines are doing it with this sort of strike action floating around."
Go for it 'Mad Bob' !! You get my vote. Maybe you can team up with Nick ?