TWU

Speaking today from Canberra this morning (14.02.12), Tony Sheldon commented, “The latest unwelcome statement from the Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce adds yet another volume to the library of false accusations and dangerous assertions by Qantas/Jetstar. Qantas’ unilateral lockout last October stranded almost 90,000 passengers. This senseless decision did untold damage to Australia’s hard won aviation reputation. They misused the trust and loyalty of their hard working staff across the country. To do so, and to boast that the grounding was ‘positive for the brand’, as Mr. Joyce did this week, was nothing short of disastrous. The arrogance of Mr. Joyce is breathtaking.”
 

“Qantas Jetstar management has an appalling track record when it comes to a litany of false allegations. On numerous occasions they have made inaccurate claims about their employees, who work everyday to make this airline great. They are a tribute to the company and do not deserve the barrage of insults that Qantas senior management seem so keen to throw around.”
 

“If an Australian workforce acted as the senior management of Qantas has, shutting down the airline and heaping misery upon passengers, in some form of disastrous PR stunt, they would be branded militant. The actions of a board of directors who have strong links to vulture capitalist hedge funds are nothing short of a disgrace (see note below). Qantas should be a poster child for what Australians working together can achieve. Instead the board has consciously and assiduously courted a reputation for callously disregarding the wishes of their passengers and loyal employees to benefit their board.”
 

“Stranding passengers worldwide, damaging the reputation of an Australian icon and insulting their workforce is the height of employer militancy. The Australian people have had enough of the standover tactics that serve the privileged few in the golden circle. It is time for the Government to examine its options to legislate against militant employers,” concluded Tony Sheldon.