Qantas Group 5k cash payment – the devils in the detail

The Qantas Group has announced a $5,000 payment to EBA covered employees. The ASU only became aware of the payment following news reports, and the reality is not as good as it seems.

In typical Qantas fashion, it has strings attached!

The payment will be made to employees once a new enterprise agreement covering them is finalised. This behaviour attempts to pressure unions and workers to agree on new enterprise agreements, so the payment is made sooner. Many of you would remember that Qantas has proposed a similar scheme before, and the airline has still not paid the bonus from 2018!

Typical, it includes a set of unreasonable criteria, including:

1. You must not "engage in any action that harms Qantas or any Qantas Group company," and
2. You "must be covered by an enterprise agreement approved by the Fair Work Commission, " meaning if Qantas removes the Senior Professional Group from the new Enterprise Agreement, the bonus will not apply to them.

Workers need proper pay increases!

A once-off payment of $5000 does not provide workers with real cost of living relief. Workers need a proper pay increase that keeps up with the cost of living on an ongoing basis, not a once-off payment to address the airline's public relations nightmare. As it is a once-off payment, you will lose the benefit of compounding on your salary, which means your pay will continue to stagnate.

We call on Qantas to provide real respect to its workforce and provide fair pay increases that keep up with the cost of living.

If you or your colleagues aren’t already members of the ASU, we encourage you to join your union today https://www.asu.asn.au/asujoin. If you require any support or additional information please contact your local ASU delegates or ASU organiser at: