Qantas has been handed a 250-thousand dollar fine and a conviction for illegally sidelining a worker during the pandemic. The health and safety representative had raised concerns about the risk of COVID-19. A Sydney court found the airline wrongfully prioritised commercial interests over legal obligations.
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TVTranscript
00:00 It's taken four years for Theoceramititis to be vindicated.
00:05 There were times where I had nightmares, I couldn't sleep at night and I lived in fear
00:10 for the first couple of years at least.
00:12 In early 2020, the lift truck driver told colleagues to stop unsafe work, cleaning planes
00:17 arriving from China. The health and safety representative was sidelined.
00:22 But today it was the actions of his former employer, subsidiary Qantas Ground Services,
00:27 being condemned. The conduct of QGS towards Mr Ceramititis was quite shameful.
00:33 The court found Qantas discriminated against him and deliberately ignored work health and
00:38 safety laws. It was fined $250,000 and convicted.
00:43 Very happy with the conviction. That's the only thing, in my opinion, that would deter
00:48 Qantas and other companies in the future from doing the same thing.
00:52 Qantas had already agreed to pay Mr Ceramititis $21,000 in compensation and the majority of
00:58 that was for hurt and humiliation. The judge found the effect on the truck driver was traumatic
01:03 and long-lasting.
01:05 A Qantas spokesperson said it acknowledged the impact and that the airline had previously
01:10 apologised in court. "Safety has always been our number one priority and we continue to
01:15 encourage our employees to report all safety-related matters."
01:19 Some want executive bonuses clawed back.
01:22 "When you operate an airline you have a responsibility to protect the safety of the travelling public
01:28 and your bonuses and income is based on those practices being met of having a safe airline."
01:35 Mr Ceramititis hopes others will now know to speak up about safety issues.
01:40 [BLANK_AUDIO]