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The TWU has filed same-job same-pay applications for Jetstar labour-hire cabin crew working under Team Jetstar and Altara.
The union said these workers are among the lowest-paid in the industry, with some receiving base pay of just over $50,000 annually, and could receive pay rises of more than $10,000 if the applications are successful, bringing their pay in line with Jetstar’s directly-employed cabin crew.
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According to the TWU, Altara staff are “not paid for training, have no pathway to direct employment at Jetstar, and experience substandard rostering practices and breaks”.
Altara crew members are all employed on a casual basis, while Team Jetstar staff are a mix of full-time, part-time and casual workers.
TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said the Qantas Group “[uses] loopholes to rip away good, secure jobs and replace them with lower-paid part-time, casual, and labour hire jobs”.
“Cabin crew at Altara and Team Jetstar working side-by-side with directly hired workers are paid significantly less and are some of the lowest-paid workers in the aviation industry,” he said.
“These are aviation’s first responders, responsible for onboard emergencies and with critical safety roles. The least they should be able to be expect is to have the same pay and conditions of the person doing the job next to them.
“These applications are a step towards eliminating the Qantas model of shifting work to different companies just to pay people less. Bringing these cabin crew members in line with the directly-hired workforce would make a huge difference to their lives.
“If Qantas is serious about turning over a new leaf and overhauling its toxic culture, it needs to start treating highly-skilled workers as an investment rather than a cost to cut. We’ve seen positive steps towards insourcing at Virgin and we must see the same at Qantas.”
The applications have the backing of Federal Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt, who criticised lower rates of pay for labour-hire workers.
“For years, labour hire flight attendants at Jetstar have been working side-by-side with direct employees doing exactly the same work, working the same long hours and wearing the same uniform,” he told The Australian.
“They have been paid less than workers working alongside them, just because they are labour hire. But now because of the Albanese Government’s laws that close the labour hire loophole, these low-paid workers are able to right this wrong, by applying for fair pay at the Fair Work Commission.”
Jetstar was contacted for comment, but has not issued a statement as it has yet to see the applications.
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says:I fully understand the need for flexibility within the workplace and I accept it absolutely. I also understand the needs for cost controls; – certainly, there is a place for a mix of full time, part time and casual employees within a specific work task but a mix of company staff and labour hire personnel is asking for trouble; – it will divide, in this case, the crew and likely lead to animosity and poor customer service plus a performance shortfall. In this case Jetstar maybe you should rethink, you can’t have it both ways: either company staff or, all labour hire and I think you know the answer to that.