Qantas flight QF401 on International Women's Day 2024 was operated by all-female staff. (Image: Qantas)
Opinion: New law a victory for wage parity
‘Same Job, Same Pay’ ends wage-cutting practices that have long underpaid labour-hire employees.
The Same Job, Same Pay legislation, passed by the Labor government in December 2023, represented a turning point for workers in Australia, particularly in aviation. Companies like Qantas have long used complex employment models to create disparities in pay for workers performing the same roles. This practice not only widened pay gaps but also eroded wage growth and hampered collective bargaining. With this new legislation, unions such as the Australian Services Union (ASU) and the Flight Attendants’ Association of Australia (FAAA) are finally seeing long-awaited progress toward fair wages and dignified treatment for aviation workers.
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