Qantas has asked senior executives to work as baggage handlers as it tackles labour shortages, causing upset in the industry.
The airline’s chief operating officer, Colin Hughes, put out an internal memo looking for expressions of interest (EOIs) from at least 100 managers and executives to “opt into a short-term arrangement over the next three months.”
Those who take up the role will be trained and rostered into the ramp environment at Sydney and Melbourne airports, according to the memo.
Hughes said, “there is no expectation that you will opt into this role on top of your full-time position.”
This comes after Qantas unlawfully sacked at least 1600 baggage handlers during the global pandemic, a federal court verdict that Qantas has vowed to appeal.
The move also comes as Dnata ground crew within Qantas’ supply chain will go ahead with voting on whether to take industrial action after the Fair Work Commission approved a union application to hold a protected action ballot.
Dnata ground crew have been fighting against an agreement that the Transport Workers Union (TWU) said will result in pay cuts and push workers into below the legal award conditions.
TWU national secretary Michael Kaine spoke poorly of Qantas’ recent move, describing it as insulting to the workers who were sacked over the pandemic.
“It’s a shocking insult that nearly 2,000 experienced workers are forced to sit at home because their jobs were stolen from them while corporate ring-ins are being dragged to the baggage rooms to help ease airport chaos,” Kaine said.
“This isn’t the brainwave Qantas management seems to think it is. Introducing inexperienced office workers into specialist aviation workplaces will only increase the likelihood of serious injuries and safety incidents on site, throwing airports into further disarray.”
A Qantas spokesperson has rejected claims from the TWU that this will be a safety issue.
“We completely reject these claims, which are another example of the union once again playing the safety card in an attempt to undermine confidence in the industry,” the spokesperson said.
“All executives will undergo the same level of training as any new recruit so that they can safely carry out the tasks they are assigned to do.
“The TWU has been trying to discredit the safety of outsourced ground handling, despite data showing a lower rate of incidents compared to when this work was done in-house.”
Qantas claims this new move is to make up for its lacklustre performance recently and that this is not the first time that execs have rolled up their sleeves to help out at the airport.
“As we have done in the past during busy periods, around 200 head office staff have helped at airports during peak travel periods since Easter,” the Qantas spokesperson.
But the TWU view this as exemplary of the ramifications of illegally outsourcing workers.
“Alan Joyce and his management team have given the game away,” Kaine said.
“This memo is an admission the illegal outsourcing of groundwork achieved nothing other than the total devastation of what was once Qantas’ trusted service.
“The airline, its workers and the travelling public have well and truly been ‘Joyced’.”
His name has become synonymous with poor service @qantas – my flight has been “Joyced” my bags have been “Joyced” – This photo is of Alan Joyce on the tarmac – the lucky passengers on this flight have had their luggage personally “Joyced.” pic.twitter.com/OiSaMrgTWl
— Michael Kaine (@TWUMichaelKaine) August 8, 2022
Qantas has been caught up in controversy recently, with flight cancellations, delays and missing luggage leading to the airline to release a formal apology.
The airline’s domestic and international CEO Andrew David spoke on Sydney radio 2GB last month where he acknowledged that the airline has been letting down its customers as it has been recovering from the COVID lockdown period.
