QantasLink has announced it will close its base in Canberra next year. The carrier says its pilot and cabin crew bases in Hobart and Mildura will also shut down next April. The company says no jobs will be lost but the transport workers unions say the decision will have a significant impact on QantasLink staff and their families.
00:00It was the news QantasLink workers didn't want to hear.
00:06Today we've made a difficult decision to close our crew bases in Hobart, Canberra and Mildura.
00:12The air carrier announced last month it was looking at centralising its workforce and shutting down the regional bases.
00:20A brief review and consultation period followed that.
00:24Despite pressure from the union, workers and politicians to abandon the plan,
00:29QantasLink has decided to push ahead.
00:33This decision is not about cost savings or about profitability.
00:37This is about setting us up for success as we go through a significant period of growth and fleet renewal.
00:44The changes affect around 70 pilots and cabin crew across the three bases.
00:50They're workers, they're pilots and cabin crew who said we don't want this.
00:54We don't want to have to move. We will potentially leave the company if we have to.
00:58And they are ignored.
01:00QantasLink says its support packages will allow workers to live regionally while working out of a major base in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane.
01:08That support will last a minimum of two years. It's unclear what will happen after that.
01:14We're going to look to support our people on an individual basis and if we need to continue those arrangements we will look at that.
01:22Yes there is some temporary measures around relocation or commuting but the reality is those bases are shutting and long term those jobs are going to go.
01:30QantasLink will also offer relocation support for people who want to move.
01:36It says the changes won't impact reliability of services but the union remains sceptical.
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