Airport disaster looms as Qantas employees prepare to shut down airports around Australia, while Karl Stefanovic is rendered dumbfounded by Alan Joyce’s staff.
350 airport ground handlers are scheduled to strike for 24 hours next Monday.
As a result of Qantas’s substitution of third-party personnel for its own, industrial action has ensued. Karl Stefanovic has expressed his displeasure over the impending travel disruptions that the strike is expected to entail.
Baggage handlers have voted to go on strike, which might cause delays for international passengers of airlines including as Qantas, Emirates, and Etihad.
Next Monday, around 350 ground handlers engaged by Qantas and more than a dozen other airlines will strike for 24 hours.
The labor action will occur after Qantas laid off thousands of staff to third-party corporations in the past year.
Nick McIntosh, assistant secretary of the Transport Workers Union, stated that the change has resulted in deteriorating working conditions, with employees unable to make a livelihood on existing wages.
The host of the Today Show, Karl Stefanovic, grew visibly agitated when he learned that the strike would cause further travel disruption for travelers who had already endured months of poor service, including aircraft delays or cancellations and misplaced luggage.
As luggage handlers prepare to go on strike, international passengers flying on airlines like Qantas, Emirates, and Etihad may experience delays.
The host of Today Show, Karl Stefanovic, grew visibly agitated when he learned that the strike will cause further travel disruption for travelers who had already endured months of poor service, including flight cancellations and missing luggage.
It has reached the point where we have not traveled for two years, and now we are traveling again. We simply want it to cease,’ he stated on Monday.
We do not wish for any further delays.
Mr McIntosh said he recognized the strike would create frustration among travellers, but Stefanovic remained unimpressed by the sympathetic response.
“Isn’t it now the responsibility of the workers who are present?” Stefanov stated.
‘As a result of what has transpired at Qantas, employees are now negotiating their own compensation and going forward.
When are you going to accept responsibility for that?
Mr. McIntosh explained that the strike was important despite the travel problems it would entail.
“This is the last resort,” he explained. We are attempting to find a solution and are hopeful that one will be found.
Four federal court justices determined that this was a purposeful plan by Qantas to outsource this work illegally.
We now have a situation in which these employees can only work four hours per day and are paid the bare minimum.
What other options do they have when inflation exceeds six percent?
Nick McIntosh, assistant secretary of the Transport Workers Union, stated that the change has resulted in deteriorating working conditions, with employees unable to make a livelihood on existing wages.
The strike comes after Qantas laid off thousands of workers to third-party corporations last year.
Dnata, a ground crew and freight operator, will go before the Fair Work Commission on Tuesday in an attempt to prevent a strike on Monday.
The Transport Workers Union is requesting that Dnata improve salary and working conditions, including guaranteed minimum work hours.
During the height of the Covid-19 outbreak, Qantas laid off its own ground crew personnel and began outsourcing tasks to businesses such as Dnata.
A representative for the airline stated that Dnata was responsible for the discussions and had contingency preparations in place to prevent interruptions.
Michael Kaine, national secretary of the transport union, stated that ground handlers could no longer afford to remain in the profession due to a decline in wages and working conditions.
Mr. Kaine stated, “We must rebalance the aviation business towards excellent, stable jobs that retain talented individuals in the industry and protect the safety of the traveling public.”
He attributed the decline in working conditions on Qantas’ outsourcing and the lack of JobKeeper payments for Dnata employees during the former Morrison administration.
The move would undoubtedly generate travel havoc for the troubled airline, which has encountered a number of problems since the crisis.
Mr. Kaine urged the new Albanian government to establish a regulatory organization to establish industry-wide minimum standards.
A Dnata spokeswoman stated that the company had made ‘very competitive’ compensation offers to its employees, but also had to ensure that its business was financially sustainable.
He stated, “We are dismayed that we have been unable to achieve an agreement with the bargaining representatives to yet.”
Virgin Australia, the second major Australian airline, will not be affected by the strike.
Qantas is appealing to the High Court a recent judgement by the Federal Court declaring the airline’s outsourcing of ground staff employees to be illegal.
If it loses the appeal, Qantas may be required to pay compensation to the approximately 1,700 employees it laid off during the pandemic.
In Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, Dnata crews provide ground handling services for Qantas international flights, although the business does not serve Qantas domestic flights.
The Qantas spokesperson stated that Dnata offered services to more than 20 airlines in Australia and that a strike may have repercussions for the entire industry.