Newsroom

October 1, 2024

Kennedy MP Bob Katter is backing Qantas engineers as they strike over pay disputes and has re-stated his long-held view that the un-Australian Qantas board and executives should be immediately sacked.

One year on from CEO Alan Joyce’s hasty exit, the culture seems unchanged and much of the old board remains.

“So, whilst Alan Joyce may be gone, his ‘spirit’ clearly lives on. ‘Fat cat’ board members and executives lord over employees fighting for fair pay in the shadow of the looming threat of their jobs being outsourced overseas,” lamented Mr Katter.

“Whatever Qantas once was – it is now the complete opposite.

“The tragedy is that many of the people working with them are people that are still dedicated to their founding aspirations. Qantas was founded to shrink the tyranny of distance for regional residents, and those residents and their staff are now being extorted for profits.”

In recent years Qantas has sent 1,500 aeromechanic positions offshore and outsourced cleaning and maintenance services that employ extremely low-paid foreign workers. Meanwhile, they continue to increase and inflate prices.

“The major parties have overseen the outsourcing and casualisation of aviation jobs. Continued flight delays and offshoring of jobs and maintenance – this puts a question mark on safety. This is a disaster waiting to happen.”

Mr Katter stands in solidarity with the employees and the unions, and believes it’s only fair to increase wages in line with the rising cost of living.

“Is Qantas so blasé about this strike because they’re looking for another reason to ship more Australian jobs overseas?” Mr Katter questioned.

“Delays are now so consistent and predictable, there’s no doubt in my mind there’s something serious going wrong. The Qantas board is a national disgrace – this constant corporate greed is enough to make you sick. Sack them now.”