Qantas workers, protesters rally in Darwin against 2500 proposed job cuts

PROTESTERS have rallied at Darwin Airport in support of Territory Qantas ground workers who are facing job cuts after the airline announced it would outsource 2500 positions

Protesters rally at Darwin Airport in support of Territory Qantas ground workers who are facing job cuts. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

• Darwin workers among 2500 ground operations jobs proposed to be cut
• NT to join the nationwide great race to become the new home of Qantas HQ

TERRITORY and federal politicians turned out at a rally at Darwin Airport on Wednesday in support of local Qantas ground workers who are facing job losses.

The airline announced in August it would be outsourcing 2500 ground staff jobs nationally, including 50 in Darwin and 15 in Alice Springs, as a part of the airline’s “COVID Recovery Plan”.

Staff were joined by members of the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) as well as Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, MLA for Blain Mark Turner, and federal Senator for Queensland Murray Watt.

The group marched through the terminal chanting “Alan Joyce has got to go” in reference to Qantas Group’s chief executive.

.

MORE NT NEWS

‘Gas supply interruption’ at Channel Island caused major blackout in the Top End

NT government ended contracts with 26 quarantine hotels in July, raising questions about lack of surge capabilities

$300m Darwin ship lift gets the all-clear for construction to begin

TWU NT official Barry Norton said local workers would be “bidding for their own jobs against companies like Swissport”.

“Two and a half thousand ground workers have lost their job security,” Mr Norton said. “They are assumed to be joined by the counter staff, who have just discovered that they are in the firing line

Protesters rally at Darwin Airport in support of Territory Qantas ground workers who are facing job cuts. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

Darwin ground worker Jeremy Magee said the announcement came as a “tremendous shock”.

“I thought I was going to see my work life out with this company,” he said. “Many of my colleagues have been working for Qantas for 20 plus years, so you can imagine how they feel with the loyalty that they have displayed.”

A Qantas spokesman said most of the government support they had received was through JobKeeper, which had been a lifeline for employees stood down.

OFFER EXTENDED: Amazing NT News subscription offer: Read everything for $1

“The rest was used to maintain critical domestic and international links which in turn generated paid work for our people,” he said

Follow @MsSarahMatthews