Qantas sanctioned by a record fine for massive staff references during the covid – rts.ch

The Federal Court Judge Michael Lee said that this australian $ 90 million fine was intended to constitute a “real deterrence” for employers attempted to break the labor law.

Of these 47.18 million francs, 26.42 million will go to the Transport Workers’ Syndicate. The other 20.76 other million will be intended for future payments to former Qantas employees.

This decision puts an end to a legal battle of several years between the unions and the airline.

Qantas faced with the consequences of his choices during the COVIR

The Australian airline had decided to return these workers and call on subcontracting in August 2020, while the air transport sector faced generalized border closures and containment measures against COVID, for which no vaccine had yet been developed.

The Federal Court had already judged that Qantas had acted illegally, then rejected the company’s call.

Nicknamed the “Spirit of Australia”, the company, 104 years old, seeks to rebuild itself after these massive layoffs, the increase in its prices, negative criticisms of the quality of its services or the sale of tickets on flights yet canceled.

Management recognizes its mistakes

In a statement, Qantas announced that it would pay the 47.18 million francs requested by the Federal Court.

“The decision to outsource five years ago, in particular at an era full of uncertainties, caused real difficulties in many of our former colleagues and their families,” described Vanessa Hudson, director general of the company, who took office in 2023. “We are presenting our sincere apologies to each of the 1820 handling employees,” she added.

The national secretary of the Transport Workers’ Union Michael Kaine applauded the decision, a “final victory” for the ex-workmen of the company, which “many discovered by a loudspeaker in the break room they had lost their jobs,” he said.

ATS/looked