Qantas awaits tribunal ruling
- 13 years ago
An Australian tribunal holds out a glimmer of hope for thousands of stranded Qantas passengers around the globe.
The airline says flights could be operating again on Monday if the government-appointed body orders an end to the industrial action it said forced the grounding of its entire fleet.
Qantas boss Alan Joyce insists there was no other choice.
SOUNDBITE: Alan Joyce, Qantas chief executive officer, saying (English):
"Every week, with the union action, tens of thousands of passengers were being disrupted and the union said they were going to continue with this for the next year. We had to bring it to a close and that's going to cause less disruption to our customers in the long term."
The airline cancelled 447 flights after grounding its fleet on Saturday in a long-running dispute over pay and opposition to cost-cutting plans.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions says the move was uncalled-for.
SOUNDBITE: Jeff Lawrence, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, saying (English):
"The action of Qantas management is absolutely out of proportion to any action that has been engaged in by the union movement."
The escalation of the dispute is an embarrassment for Prime Minister Julia Gillard who was hosting a summit of Commonwealth leaders, 17 of them booked to fly on Sunday with Qantas.
SOUNDBITE: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard saying (English):
"We are continuing to work with leaders on alternate flight plans."
The Fair Work Australia tribunal could order an end to all industrial action in the Qantas dispute, giving both sides 21 days to negotiate a settlement or face the prospect of a settlement imposed on them.
Paul Chapman, Reuters
The airline says flights could be operating again on Monday if the government-appointed body orders an end to the industrial action it said forced the grounding of its entire fleet.
Qantas boss Alan Joyce insists there was no other choice.
SOUNDBITE: Alan Joyce, Qantas chief executive officer, saying (English):
"Every week, with the union action, tens of thousands of passengers were being disrupted and the union said they were going to continue with this for the next year. We had to bring it to a close and that's going to cause less disruption to our customers in the long term."
The airline cancelled 447 flights after grounding its fleet on Saturday in a long-running dispute over pay and opposition to cost-cutting plans.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions says the move was uncalled-for.
SOUNDBITE: Jeff Lawrence, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, saying (English):
"The action of Qantas management is absolutely out of proportion to any action that has been engaged in by the union movement."
The escalation of the dispute is an embarrassment for Prime Minister Julia Gillard who was hosting a summit of Commonwealth leaders, 17 of them booked to fly on Sunday with Qantas.
SOUNDBITE: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard saying (English):
"We are continuing to work with leaders on alternate flight plans."
The Fair Work Australia tribunal could order an end to all industrial action in the Qantas dispute, giving both sides 21 days to negotiate a settlement or face the prospect of a settlement imposed on them.
Paul Chapman, Reuters