Rumour confirmed: Aircraft Engineers’ Union slams “dirty trick” by Qantas

RUMOUR CONFIRMED

Qantas employees will not get a promised bonus until after their next EBA is signed, but top executives will get their bonus regardless.

The Rumour File heard the airline’s executives would receive huge management bonuses following profitable results announced yesterday, but workers wouldn’t get their long promised bonus  until they sign their next EBA.

The caller was one of several airline workers to contact 3AW.

Steve Purvinas, secretary of the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers’ Association, told Ross and John they don’t even believe the move is legal.

“It’s not just a rumour, I had a call from Qantas Management explaining the confusion and it’s absolutely correct,” Steve said.

“The employees will not get their bonuses until their next Enterprise Agreement is certified and in some cases that could be up to four years away.

“We call it adverse action, we believe it’s not even legal.

“It’s something I have no doubt will be taken up in front of the Fair Work Commission.

“At the end of the day this is a really dirty trick by this self-serving CEO, to essentially declare war on 30,000 staff in this manner, I can tell you there will be absolute havoc out there at the airports.”

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Linda White, Assistant National Secretary, Australian Services Union, said they’re not bonuses, they’re “$2000 handcuffs”.

“They’re designed to prevent workers from taking legitimate industrial action,” she said.

“They apply all sorts of ridiculous conditions and exclude workers unfairly such as catering staff simply because Qantas is selling off that part of their business.”

The Flight Attendants Association said they’re meeting with the other unions on Monday, but for cabin crew, they have been short-crewing for 12 months due to resourcing errors.

For them, this is an extra slap in the face given the effort they’ve put over the last year.

Their next EBA is not until 2021.