Is this actually the case?
Qantas passengers fume as storm creates chaos - The West Australian
Safety provisions in the Qantas baggage handlers and engineers' awards prevent staff working on the tarmac when there is lightning within 5km of the airport.
Other airlines - whose staff work under different provisions - were unaffected, although the weather played havoc with arrivals and departures.
This seems like an unusual thing to have in an award. Last time I was at an airport when the Aerodrome Lightning Warning was issued all staff ran for cover, and no one was allowed outside til the warning passed. Now VA and others apparently have an exemption to that and let staff work in lightning storms ? Or is it just G. Thomas having a go at those "over unionised QF employees creating havoc for passengers by having outdated work practices compared to their Virgin counterparts" again?