Qantas trying to avert holiday strike threat
A report in The Age says that Qantas says it is working to reduce workplace injuries after staff at Sydney Airport threatened to walk out in the middle of the busy holiday season.
The Transport Workers Union says the airline’s baggage and ramp staff are being forced to work in a dangerous environment and are too scared of management to complain, News Limited newspapers report.
The union says industrial action against the airline is “inevitable” and could occur as early as January, impacting on the holiday travel plans of thousands of people.
The airline’s 500 baggage and ramp workers are threatening to walk out if Qantas does not fix the problems.
In March, Qantas staff lodged a formal dispute report with the NSW Industrial Commission over working conditions.
Qantas Services Department General Manager Curtis Davies issued a statement saying the carrier’s injury rate had decreased every year for the past four years.
He said Qantas had a rigorous safety program in place and the airline invested heavily in equipment and training to reduce the potential for workplace injuries.
“We have been working with our airport staff and the union on introducing mechanical solutions to alleviate heavy lifting,” Mr Davies said.
“Our lost time injury rate in the airport environment has been reduced every year for the last four years.”
Mr Davies said the airline would be “extremely disappointed” if the union decided to take industrial action and inconvenience Qantas customers.
Transport Workers Union spokesman Tony Sheldon said the dispute focused on staff cuts across the department and the reduction of working teams from six people to five.
Smaller teams increased staff workload and the chance of serious injury, he said.
“There have been a whole range of injuries to workers’ legs, arms and backs,” he said.
Mr Sheldon said workers were afraid to report some injuries because they feared they would be moved to inferior jobs.
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