Qantas is asking its managers and executives to work in the jobs of USU/ASU airport customer service staff and the illegally sacked ground handlers. It is an absolute disgrace that the airline is asking existing staff to cover the gaps instead of rehiring the dedicated workers they sacked under cover of the pandemic.
Employees who volunteer may end up with excessive workloads themselves and are at risk of increased manual handling injuries.
Qantas’ request to executives is the exact reason why the USU/ASU is fighting to keep the Senior Professional Group covered by the Agreement. Being covered by an Enterprise Agreement provides better protection against excessive workloads and unfair dismissals. When the airline seeks to exclude workers from USU/ASU Agreements, it is clear the demands will keep on coming.
We are calling on Qantas to employ more ground handlers, airport and contact centre workers. The short staffing is not a symptom of COVID-19 but rather repeated outsourcing of jobs and little respect for its workforce.
If you or your colleagues aren’t already members of the USU/ASU, we encourage you to join your union today https://usu.org.au/join/
