Qantas Ground Workers to Strike Over Pay and Conditions

Hundreds of Qantas ground workers will strike next week over pay and working conditions. The Transport Workers Union announced a 24-hour strike in Victoria state on Wednesday and nationwide on Thursday. The action follows a controversial outsourcing decision during the pandemic deemed illegal by courts.

Hundreds of Qantas ground workers are set to strike next week, protesting against pay and working conditions, as announced by the Transport Workers Union on Friday. The strike will occur on Wednesday in Victoria and span the entire country on Thursday.

Transport Workers Union National Secretary Michael Kaine emphasized that the responsibility for any disruption, including delays in Australia Post shipments, lies with Qantas management, accusing them of neglecting customer and workforce concerns. In response, a Qantas spokesperson stated the company's ongoing commitment to reaching a consensus on annual pay increases for their ground services staff.

This industrial action comes in the wake of Qantas's controversial decision to outsource over 1,800 ground workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, a move judged illegal by the courts. Subsequently, the airline was fined a record A$90 million for these actions.