The Transport Workers Union has appealed a judge’s decision that compensation was a more appropriate remedy for 1,800 Qantas workers who had been denied the “matchless blessing” of a job than reinstatement.
A judge has rejected the TWU’s request for the reinstatement of around 1,800 outsourced Qantas workers, finding it was inevitable that the airline would retrench the workers again as soon as lawfully possible.
Australia’s leading regional airline faces further litigation after an appeals court found it sent a threatening letter to prospective cadet pilots, urging them to stay in cheap, “inappropriate accommodation” in order to demonstrate their commitment to the company.
Qantas is locked in a legal battle with a US-based pilot training provider over failed negotiations concerning the development of a $35 million pilot academy in regional Queensland.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will not oppose the $23.6 billion takeover of Sydney Airport by an international consortium of investors, finding further consolidation is unlikely to lessen competition in a market which is already a “natural monopoly”.
Union members who allegedly urged former Qantas workers to give misleading information to the Federal Court via a survey in a lawsuit brought on behalf of 2,000 stood-down ground staff may be called to explain themselves after a judge expressed concern over their conduct.
Eight companies in the Dubai-based Emirates Group have lost a court bid to recoup more than $10.5 million paid to Australian staff during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mistaken belief that the money would be repaid as part of the federal government’s JobKeeper subsidy scheme.
The Fair Work Commission has ruled that a mask mandate issued by Qantas as part of its Fly Well program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was “lawful and reasonable” as it tossed an unfair dismissal case brought by a former flight attendant.
The aircraft engineers’ union has filed Federal Court proceedings against Virgin Australia over alleged privacy breaches relating to the airline’s enforcement of its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy.
A judge has criticised Qantas and the Transport Workers’ Union for their “not particularly helpful” public comments about whether or not ground staff will be reinstated upon resolution of their long-running outsourcing dispute.