Qantas Update: USU/ASU wins on payroll, stand downs! But still lots more to do & fix

USU/ASU members want Qantas to pay them the right amount and on time. How hard can it be? But many USU/ASU members have had serious problems with payroll since the start of the JobKeeper scheme. This is a short list of all the issues, there are many more:

• The pay run normally due on 28 April 2020, has been delayed until 30 April 2020.
• Employees have received very limited advice about how pay will be processed under the JobKeeper scheme. Members haven’t been able to plan their finances!
• The JobKeeper ‘pre-payment’ was made on 17 April 2020. This amount appears to be treated by Qantas as an advance payment, and an equivalent amount has been deducted from later pays.
• Employees have not received the back-pay to 30 March 2020 to which they may be entitled under the scheme. No-one has received any advice about the amount of backpay they will receive.
• JobKeeper fortnights do not align with Qantas pay cycles. Some members are receiving JobKeeper payments out of their normal pay cycle. Where JobKeeper payments made out of cycle have been deducted from normal pays, so some members receive no income on their normal pay days. We ask that JobKeeper payments be made within the normal pay cycle.
• Penalty rates earnt on the Easter Long Weekend were offset against the $1500 minimum payment guarantee for a later fortnight. This is in contravention of the minimum payment guarantee (see Bulletin 61 and our letter of 24 April 2020). 
• Other amounts (i.e. payroll error corrections) have been offset against the minimum payment guarantee for later pay periods. This is also in contravention of the minimum payment guarantee.
• JobKeeper prepayments have not been made to employees who are on leave without pay.
• Some, but not all employees, who were stood down over the Easter long weekend public holidays appear to have received public holiday pay.
• Other employees, who took paid annual leave over the Easter long weekend, have had paid annual leave deducted from their accruals for public holidays in contravention of the enterprise agreement. We ask that those employees have their annual leave re-credited.

Payslips are not showing any increase to annual leave accruals since stand downs started

We’ve written to Qantas, asking them to fix the problems and explain what is going on. You can read our letter here.

I have a payroll problem, what should I do? You need to write to the Pay Roll Team explaining your problem. Attach any supporting document or evidence. Then send a copy of your payroll complaint to your local organiser. We’re keeping track of the issues, so we can raise them with Qantas collectively as well.

I worked the Easter Long Weekend, and Qantas offset my penalty rates against JobKeeper

The USU/ASU is preparing to take Qantas to the Fair Work Commission to expose their appalling behaviour. If you have been impacted by Qantas’ actions, we need to hear from you urgently.

Complete this short survey and all information will be treated confidentially.

Need more information?

For more information contact your local organisers:

If you are not a member of the USU now is the time to join — https://usu.org.au/join