Condemns Qantas CEO Alan Joyce for Attack On Workers
Well; you knew this was coming... more outrage from a union
after union issues shut down Qantas for a short while... The
International Brotherhood of Teamsters called on Qantas CEO Alan
Joyce to 'end his campaign to destroy good Australian jobs. The
Teamsters stand in solidarity with the tens of thousands of
locked-out airline employees who dedicate their working lives to
help their company succeed.'
The union's statements were issued just before government orders
to end the shutdown, today, October 31st.
The Teamsters Union represents the international crew that
handles Qantas freight. Members of the Teamsters Airline Division
and others are staging US demonstrations to support the locked-out
workers.
"Joyce's lock-out will cripple Qantas and damage working
families in Australia as well as Qantas airline workers around the
world," said Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa. "We stand
with our brothers and sisters Down Under. We demand this CEO stop
his war on workers, passengers, the public, and the company's
performance."
By the way; a Teamster delegation hosted by members of the
Transport Workers Union and its National Secretary Tony Sheldon
were stranded in Sydney by the decision to shut down the airline.
Two days earlier, senior officials and a transportation worker from
Los Angeles attended the Qantas annual general meeting (AGM). At
the meeting, Joyce and the board of directors reported that they
were "attacked for engaging in labor relations that erode Qantas'
brand, quality of safety and service, as well as for other
incompetent maneuvering that undermines shareholders'
interests."
According to the Teamsters, 'Media, political, and industry
observers say Joyce's costly decision to freeze Qantas' entire
fleet is an unprecedented retaliation against workers in Australia.
The nation has constructive relations with strong industrial unions
to help companies compete through collaborative strategies that
serve labor and management alike.'
Qantas employees represented by the TWU and other major unions
have united to negotiate a contract that curbs outsourcing of
Australian jobs. Outsourcing makes passengers and crew more
vulnerable to safety problems and flight disruptions. However,
Qantas management has rebuffed the pilots, flight attendants,
baggage handlers, ticket agents and other workers for months.
The Teamster delegation traveled to Sydney and Melbourne to
educate TWU's unionized transportation workers about the
substandard pay and deplorable workplace conditions that America's
truck drivers endure at the hands of their Australian-based
employer, Toll Group. The two unions vowed to support joint
strategies to overcome Toll and Qantas' anti-union practices in
both countries.