Australian Court Slams Qantas Over Workers’ Rights

An Australian court today fined the national airline Qantas 90 million Australian dollars (about 50.1 million euros) for illegally firing 1,800 ground staff during the Covid-19 pandemic, ending a five-year legal battle over workers’ rights, CE Report quotes ANSA.

Federal Court Judge Michael Lee said he wanted the penalty to serve as a "real deterrent" to companies tempted by financial gains from violating labor laws.

Qantas made the decision to lay off workers and outsource their jobs in August 2020, during a period of lockdowns and border closures, when no Covid-19 vaccine was widely available.

The Australian Federal Court ruled that Qantas acted unlawfully despite its stated "business imperatives," as it blocked employees from accessing their rights to collective bargaining or taking union action. The court also rejected an appeal by the airline.

Long nicknamed "the spirit of Australia," Qantas — with 104 years of history — is now working to rebuild its damaged reputation, which has suffered in recent years due to illegal layoffs, skyrocketing ticket prices, poor service allegations, and selling seats on already cancelled flights.

CEO Vanessa Hudson took over in 2023, promising to improve customer satisfaction. She replaced Alan Joyce, who resigned early following criticism of Qantas's treatment of staff and passengers, despite large shareholder profits.