The Guardian 21 June, 2006
Qantas passes the bucks
WorkChoices allowed Qantas to fly away with $32,000 of employees’ money, according to the airline. Qantas claims John Howard’s legislation left it with no choice after 99 baggage handlers held an urgent safety discussion when bolts started falling from overhead construction work at Sydney Airport.
But the Transport Workers Union (TWU) will contest the deductions in the Chief Industrial Magistrate’s Court.
"These men were placed in extremely dangerous situations, with scissor lifts operating above their heads", TWU secretary, Tony Sheldon, said.
"During their meeting, employees raised 19 serious questions about safety in their workplace.
"Qantas management informed them they would each be docked four hours pay which is the minimum penalty allowed under Howard’s workplace changes.
"The TWU will not sit back and allow this to happen."
The Howard Government’s federal WorkChoices legislation instructs employers to dock a minimum of four hours wages for any industrial stop work meeting.
The only exception is where workers can prove they faced "imminent risk".
Mr Sheldon said that’s exactly what baggage handlers had been exposed to.
Qantas was a strong supporter of the Prime Minister’s workplace regime that has already been used to strip conditions, lower earnings, and deny collective bargaining rights.
Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon is a key player in the pro-WorkChoices Business Council of Australia.
Sheldon said the TWU launched legal action after Qantas failed to reply to a request to return the workers’ money.