News

Qantas Announces More Job Cuts

Details

Published on Thursday, 16 February, 2012

In an all too familiar corporate strategy, Qantas has chosen the day they announce a half yearly profit of $202m to also announce 500 job cuts including a significant number of job losses in ASU areas. While politicians appear to have been the priority to consult for Qantas, only today have hard working Qantas staff and their unions been advised generally of Qantas’ plans. This is not consultation.

What do we know?

The largest number of Qantas ASU jobs targeted for redundancy are at the Tullamarine, Vic Maintenance base. Areas are being closed and either consolidated in Sydney or just outright moved there.
Qantas says that around 50 new engineering ASU jobs will be created in Sydney, which is no consolation to long serving Melbourne based Qantas employees.

Qantas has also announced a review of the “footprint” of heavy maintenance in Australia which is carried out in Tullamarine, Avalon and Brisbane.

We have also been told that Qantas is cutting back some of its international flying and retiring aircraft. Qantas says this move will not affect ASU members’ jobs at airports but may result in changes to rostering.

Remarkably though Qantas Airports management has flagged a restructure of resource allocation and planning at Australian airports – an area that was restructured in a number of airports less than 12 months ago. As we write this bulletin all we know is that 123 level 6 and level 8 Jobs in customer service and ramp resource allocation and planning across airports are affected. Qantas says they want to centralise some jobs to Sydney and retain “ new” level 7 positions in airports. There is little detail at this stage save that we know that the affected airports are SIT, SDT, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

What is next?

We have demanded meetings with Engineering management about the engineering job losses and the review and with airport management about the resource allocation and planning proposed changes. These meetings will involve local delegates and as soon as we have firm meetings we will let members know. We will also be holding meetings of members in affected locations.

Got Questions

If you have questions or more information contact Jocelyn Gammie: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0423 041 898