Qantas frontline staff to vote on new EA

Frontline staff for the national carrier are set to vote on the airline’s latest enterprise agreement offer.

Editor’s note: This story first appeared on HR Leader sister brand Australian Aviation.

The Australian Services Union (ASU), which represents thousands of Qantas check-in, call centre, and freight operations workers, will open the electronic ballot on Thursday to coincide with the national carrier’s full-year results, with voting to run until 3 September.

“Qantas has already reported a profit of almost $1 billion for the first half of this year. It’s time the airline invested in its frontline staff – the people who keep this airline running – not just its shareholders,” said ASU assistant national secretary Scott Cowen.

“The airline is already in a position to address longstanding member concerns about pay, rosters, and the need to address the substantial gender disparities in pay.

“This isn’t just about a pay rise; it’s about addressing the structural issues that have left women workers at Qantas undervalued and underpaid. Our members deserve real change, not just tokenistic initiatives.”

The offer has been under negotiation since February, with the upcoming vote set to be the first time frontline staff will be able to formally have their say. It comes just over a week after Qantas was handed a record $90 million fine for illegally outsourcing around 1,800 ground workers in 2020.

According to the union, the results of the vote will “inform next steps, including the potential for protected industrial action”.

“Last week’s Federal Court decision shows that Qantas has clearly learned nothing from its ongoing profiting off the backs of workers,” said Cowen.

“This is a company that continues to make short-term decisions, cutting corners and driving down job quality to maximise profits at the expense of its workers and customers.

“Our members are voting on whether this offer is near-acceptable, or if we need to pursue a stronger course of action in our bargaining. Our members want real change embedded into workplace agreements, because words and good intentions alone are simply not enough.”

In a statement, a Qantas spokesperson said the airline is “committed to investing in our people and creating a workplace at which everyone is proud to work”.

“We’re continuing to negotiate with the union and want to reach an agreement that includes annual pay rises, more flexibility and roster improvements,” the spokesperson said.