Green.Dog
12th May 2008, 06:19
AIRLINE giant Qantas has been humbled by a flight attendant in a "David and Goliath" battle over drug smears.
The attendant suffered rumour and innuendo after being wrongly accused of being a heroin user.
Qantas spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and three years challenging a stress leave payout to the wronged hostess, now back working for the airline, through the courts.
But a Supreme Court judge this week ruled that Lisa Lamprecht had suffered depression because of the "demonstrated trauma" of being searched for heroin after a flight.
However, her fight may yet not be over as Qantas considers an appeal.
The battle began on July 27, 2002, when Miss Lamprecht was returning to Melbourne from her first long-haul flight as an attendant.
She was carrying three bags supplied by Qantas and Customs officials discovered "significant" traces of heroin on two bags.
Miss Lamprecht's lawyer John Typaldos of Workforce Legal said his client had no knowledge the bags contained drug traces and was traumatised by the incident.
He said it had never been established who had used the Qantas issued bags before his client.
Miss Lamprecht, who has worked for Qantas for 18 years, was questioned for hours by Customs officials.
But they decided she was not a drug user and allowed her to leave "in a daze".
He said Miss Lamprecht continued to work as an attendant, but was scared going through Customs and some of her colleagues made references to her as "the drug flight attendant".
She went on stress leave and Qantas started fighting her claim for wages and medical expenses three years ago in the Magistrates' Court.
A Medical Panel found in her favour and Qantas challenged their ruling in the Supreme Court.
"This is a David and Goliath story and we have only reached this point because of Lisa's resilience," Mr Typaldos said.
The above article is indicative of the treatment meted out to Qantas Staff on a daily basis."Our people are our most important asset" is an oft repeated assertion by Geoff Dixon.God help the employees if they werent considered valuable.
The legal department in Qantas spends millions of Dollars a year in action like this.They usually fail in the courts.
Clause 11 is a disciplinary provision in the LH CC award.At one stage Qantas management wre invoking this clause on average 30 times a month.Twenty two of these made their way into the industrial relations court.Not one judgement found in favour of Qantas as the plaintiff.
Qantas to save face and remove these employees paid large undisclosed amounts to these individuals not to return to work.
An enormous waste of resources and money for what?.
To strike fear into hearts of all employees.Employees who eventually become disengaged and hostile.
The attendant suffered rumour and innuendo after being wrongly accused of being a heroin user.
Qantas spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and three years challenging a stress leave payout to the wronged hostess, now back working for the airline, through the courts.
But a Supreme Court judge this week ruled that Lisa Lamprecht had suffered depression because of the "demonstrated trauma" of being searched for heroin after a flight.
However, her fight may yet not be over as Qantas considers an appeal.
The battle began on July 27, 2002, when Miss Lamprecht was returning to Melbourne from her first long-haul flight as an attendant.
She was carrying three bags supplied by Qantas and Customs officials discovered "significant" traces of heroin on two bags.
Miss Lamprecht's lawyer John Typaldos of Workforce Legal said his client had no knowledge the bags contained drug traces and was traumatised by the incident.
He said it had never been established who had used the Qantas issued bags before his client.
Miss Lamprecht, who has worked for Qantas for 18 years, was questioned for hours by Customs officials.
But they decided she was not a drug user and allowed her to leave "in a daze".
He said Miss Lamprecht continued to work as an attendant, but was scared going through Customs and some of her colleagues made references to her as "the drug flight attendant".
She went on stress leave and Qantas started fighting her claim for wages and medical expenses three years ago in the Magistrates' Court.
A Medical Panel found in her favour and Qantas challenged their ruling in the Supreme Court.
"This is a David and Goliath story and we have only reached this point because of Lisa's resilience," Mr Typaldos said.
The above article is indicative of the treatment meted out to Qantas Staff on a daily basis."Our people are our most important asset" is an oft repeated assertion by Geoff Dixon.God help the employees if they werent considered valuable.
The legal department in Qantas spends millions of Dollars a year in action like this.They usually fail in the courts.
Clause 11 is a disciplinary provision in the LH CC award.At one stage Qantas management wre invoking this clause on average 30 times a month.Twenty two of these made their way into the industrial relations court.Not one judgement found in favour of Qantas as the plaintiff.
Qantas to save face and remove these employees paid large undisclosed amounts to these individuals not to return to work.
An enormous waste of resources and money for what?.
To strike fear into hearts of all employees.Employees who eventually become disengaged and hostile.