Qantas fights union ban

Press, 25 September 1980, Page 4

Qantas fights union ban

Qantas last evening called in a small army of executive volunteers to move out four international flights from Mascot Airport, Sydney, after a mass walk-out by the airline’s ground staff.

Members of 17 unions employed by Qantas at Mascot began walking off the job early last evening after unionists were directed to prepare a black-banned Qantas flight bound for Wellington. ‘ I Qantas called in staff] labour to do the work, and all ground staff covered by the combined airport unions walked off.

The first flight into Christchurch which might be disrupted by the walk-out is due at 2.20 p.m. today from Sydney. “All we can do is await developments,” said an airport spokesman last evening. The stoppage did not affect any flight to or from Christchurch last evening. The black bans were imposed by the unions in retaliation for the use of Qantas staff labour to break [a recent strike by Qantas security officers. A Qantas spokesman said last evening that the airline had four flights, and more than 700 passengers, waiting

to travel to Wellington, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Noumea. “We won’t let them down,” he said.

Early tiffs morning (N.Z. time) it was announced that the striking workers would be back on the job at first shifts today. However, the federal secretary of the Australasian Society of Engineers, Mr Terry Addison, said that the return to work would not be the end of the dispute. The federal unions involved would meet as soon as possible to discuss additional action against Qantas.