Qantas cabin crew are now eligible for a pay rise, with a new employer agreement in effect from today.
The changes will mean around 800 Qantas cabin crew members will be eligible for a 28% pay rise.
Some large businesses in Australia, including Qantas, had previously been able to pay staff differently through a scheme unions described as a “loophole”.
Under laws passed last year, workers hired under the scheme can now negotiate their pay and conditions.
Qantas
Qantas is made up of multiple smaller companies.
For example, ‘Qantas Domestic’ is a labour hire firm entirely owned by Qantas. Short-haul employees have been hired through Qantas Domestic since 2007.
Long-haul flight attendants can also be hired through ‘Qantas Cabin Crew Aust’ — another Qantas-owned firm.
The effect has been that a group of 20 Qantas cabin crew on a flight could technically be hired by three or four different companies.
Same job, same pay
Last December, the Federal Government passed the
Thewas designed to close “labour hire loopholes”, where some employees performing the same role at a company were getting paid differently based on who hired them.
It empowered unions and employees to request the same pay and conditions through the national workplace tribunal, the Fair Work Commission.
These new employee bargaining deals can start coming into effect from today.
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Flight attendants
Earlier this year, the Flight Attendants’ Association of Australiato ensure all Qantas cabin crew were covered by the same pay and conditions.
The union made different applications for workers on short and long-haul flights.
In August, Qantas agreed to the FAAA’s request for short-haul staff, which has resulted in a 28% pay increase for 800 workers.
The new deal kicks in from today.
Union response
FAAA Secretary Teri O’Toole told TDA the decision is “monumental” and will “go a long way in restoring dignity in our profession”.
“Some of our cabin crew can earn significantly less than directly employed crew despite doing the same job.”
O’Toole said the union is continuing talks to reach a similar deal for more than 2,500 Qantas long-haul cabin crew and Jetstar employees (also owned by Qantas).
Qantas response
When the deal was reached earlier this year,confirming the agreement.
The company estimated it would cost $60 million over the coming financial year, which it would offset through “revenue and cost savings” measures.
Qantas did not answer any of TDA’s detailed questions.
