Qantas loses appeal on 2000 illegal sackings

Outsourced ground and baggage crew have defeated Qantas a second time as a full court of the Federal Court rejects the airline’s attempt to overturn a ruling that it sacked workers illegally, pushing the matter to compensation and penalties hearings.

The TWU is calling on the Qantas Board to sack Qantas CEO Alan Joyce and key decision-maker in this case CEO of Domestic and International Andrew David after Qantas was found twice to have broken the law in sacking 2000 workers.

Following two days of appeal hearings in February, the full court unanimously upheld the ruling that Qantas breached the Fair Work Act by outsourcing workers to prevent them from exercising their industrial rights to bargain and take protected industrial action.

Further remedy hearings will take place to determine the compensation Qantas should pay to workers in addition to penalties for 2,000 illegal sackings.

Qantas meanwhile is dragging out its costly appeal, having now sought leave to appeal to the High Court. Qantas must drop the appeal and properly compensate the workers it unlawfully stole jobs from.