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The federal employment minister has weighed in on the succession of Virgin Australia’s CEO, appearing to disapprove of leading candidate Paul Jones.
As reported in The Australian Financial Review, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Murray Watt, when asked about the potential appointment of Jones to succeed outgoing CEO Jayne Hrdlicka, said the airline should carefully consider any candidate’s industrial relations record.
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Jones, widely considered the front-runner to replace Hrdlicka after she abruptly announced her departure last February, played a part in the illegal outsourcing of around 1,700 Qantas ground workers during COVID-19.
“Most Australians would like to see Virgin choose a CEO who has a demonstrated record of putting their workers and the public first,” Minister Watt said.
“It took the Transport Workers Union, with the support of the then Albanese opposition, to stand up to Qantas about the way it illegally sacked its workforce during the pandemic and did a range of other things to hurt its workforce.
“I would certainly hope and expect that Virgin would think about that when it comes to its choice of CEO.”
Jones’ appointment has been fiercely opposed by the Transport Workers’ Union, with national secretary Michael Kaine telling Australian Aviation in December that Virgin still has “significant work to do to rebuild workforce morale” after long negotiations with crew over pay and conditions last year, and that Jones would jeopardise these efforts.
The TWU has backed Virgin’s proposed wet leasing of Qatar Airways aircraft for flights to Doha – given interim ACCC approval in November – as being good for Australian job opportunities; however, Kaine told the Financial Review last year it may revisit its support if Jones is appointed.
“Clearly in a time of immense uncertainty for Virgin crew around the implications of the wet lease with Qatar, a decision to install Paul Jones of Qantas illegal sackings infamy would be disastrous for morale,” Kaine said.
“We want to be supportive of the deal and getting Virgin back to long-haul flying, we want to be constructive and work with the airline, but that attitude will change if Bain decides to appoint Paul Jones.”
The Financial Review also reported that Virgin and owner Bain Capital are waiting on approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board for Qatar to buy 25 per cent of Virgin before announcing the airline’s new CEO.
Virgin Australia declined to comment to the Financial Review.
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says:It should be of concern to all Ozzies that the TWU is clearly attempting to sway the Govt. away from an objective business decision concerning Qatar and Virgin Oz. because they don’t like someone who is muted to be the next CEO. Now if this is the manner and way in which any industrial movement wishes to behave then all of us are at risk of being cancelled. Not good for the nation