Eight companies in the Dubai-based Emirates Group have lost a court bid to recoup more than $10.5 million paid to Australian staff during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mistaken belief that the money would be repaid as part of the federal government’s JobKeeper subsidy scheme.
The Fair Work Commission has ruled that a mask mandate issued by Qantas as part of its Fly Well program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was “lawful and reasonable” as it tossed an unfair dismissal case brought by a former flight attendant.
The aircraft engineers’ union has filed Federal Court proceedings against Virgin Australia over alleged privacy breaches relating to the airline’s enforcement of its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy.
A judge has criticised Qantas and the Transport Workers’ Union for their “not particularly helpful” public comments about whether or not ground staff will be reinstated upon resolution of their long-running outsourcing dispute.
Qantas has lost its second attempt to delay a hearing on further relief pending an appeal in its outsourcing spat with the Transport Workers Union, with a judge finding a stay would prejudice the union more than the airline.
Government-owned Airservices Australia has appealed an order that it pay $72,450 in fines to a civilian air traffic controllers union for withdrawing guidelines for standby shifts, which a judge found was a “serious breach” of an enterprise agreement.
Qantas has filed a bid to delay a hearing on penalty after a judge found the airline outsourced ground operations partly to prevent employees engaging in industrial action, but the TWU has said a stay would be “unfair” to 1,600 former ground staff.
Qantas Airways is seeking to overturn a Federal Court finding that its decision to axe 2,000 ground staff and replace them with labour hire workers during the COVID-19 pandemic was made partially to stop workers engaging in industrial action.
Regional Express has engaged Big Six firm Clayton Utz to investigate potential court action against rival airline Qantas for alleged anticompetitive conduct.
Regional Express is weighing court action against Qantas, alleging Australia’s biggest airline engaged in anti-competitive behaviour in the form of capacity dumping and predatory practices.