Qantas workers launch legal action after they were refused sick leave in airline’s stand-down period

Seriously ill Qantas workers take the airline to court after having their sick pay denied when the airline stood down 20,000 employees due to COVID-19 travel restrictions

By Kylie Stevens For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 08:06 BST, 28 April 2020 | Updated: 08:09 BST, 28 April 2020

Seriously ill Qantas staff who have worked for the airline for more than have 30 years have launched legal action after they were denied access to accrued sick leave.

The Transport Workers Union took the airline to Federal Court on Tuesday on behalf of workers on sick leave who can no longer access the entitlement after Qantas stood down two thirds of its workforce due to travel restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Among those affected include a cancer patient and another awaiting surgery for a triple bypass. Both have worked for Qantas for more than 30 years. 

Qantas stood down 20,000 employees last month and announced that sick/carer’s leave will not apply during the stand down period. 

Qantas have been taken to court after the airline refused to pay sick leave entitlements during the current stand down period. Pictured are Qantas staff at Adelaide Airport earlier this month

The TWU claimed the airline is in breach of Fair Work Act provisions and urged Qantas to reconsider the ‘heartless’ move.

‘It is an utter disgrace that Qantas workers, some of whom have worked with the company for several decades and are now battling very serious illnesses, have been refused sick leave in this way,’ TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said.

‘They will struggle financially and this will pile pressures and stress on them and their families, making it more difficult for them to focus on getting better.’ 

Qantas says stood down employees can draw on annual and long service leave and other support mechanisms, such as leave at half pay and early access to long service leave. 

The airline acknowledged it was a very difficult time for all employees.

Qantas stood down two third of its 30,000 workforce last month due to the impact of travel restrictions on the airline during the coronavirus crisis

‘Unfortunately, the devastating impact that travel restrictions have had on airlines means the majority of our employees are stood down and not receiving their regular income – whether that’s normal pay or paid sick leave,’ a spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.

‘Employees who are stood down are not eligible to receive paid sick leave because there is no work for employees to be absent from but they can access annual, long service leave and other support.’

The TWU accused Qantas of treating  staff like expendable cogs in its machine. 

‘It announced early on it was forcing them to bear the brunt of stand-downs by using their accrued, future and long-service leave,’ Mr Kaine said.

‘It refused to listen to worker concerns about the spread of the COVID-19, even suspending a worker in Sydney, and has allowed several clusters to spread.’ 

The Federal Court finished hearing the case on Tuesday and is now deliberating its judgement. 

Transport Workers Union has urged Qantas to reconsider its ‘heartless’ move

 

 

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