Explosive court judgment takes aim at ‘Machiavellian’ boss of key Qantas union

An explosive Federal Court judgment has laid bare the ‘extraordinary’ dysfunction in the upper echelons of a key Qantas union.

The head of a key Qantas union has quit after a bitter court battle with fellow officials from the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, who moved a no-confidence motion against him.

Steve Purvinas had held the position of federal secretary of ALAEA since 2006, and was instrumental in the industrial action that led to the infamous Qantas grounding in 2011.

But in the last year, Mr Purvinas fell out spectacularly with eight members of his federal executive, over his compliance with his employment contract, expense claims and concerns about him identifying himself as a solicitor on correspondence.

The breakdown in his relationship with fellow executives led to Mr Purvinas going to court, to claim a no-confidence motion moved in February was in breach of the union’s rules and therefore invalid.

ALAEA’s 2000 members were informed of his resignation from the role on November 1.
It follows Federal Court judge Elizabeth Raper finding Mr Purvinas likely lied in evidence and was a “warrior that flexed his muscle in many Machiavellian ways”.

Mr Purvinas also instigated bullying proceedings in an attempt “to get in first”, based on his belief his colleagues were planning to take out a bullying order against him.

Although the bullying complaint was discontinued, Mr Purvinas succeeded in getting a WorkCover order stating he could not have direct contact with the eight executives for “mental health reasons”.

Steve Purvinas has quit as federal secretary of the Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association after a scathing court judgment.

Justice Raper found Mr Purvinas likely lied about his health, after telling colleague Paul Staddon “there is nothing wrong with me mate, I am just doing this to keep the majority of these guys off my back”.

The restrictions on contact between the eight executives and Mr Purvinas were then used to prevent ALAEA’s federal executive from meeting, in an apparent attempt to hang on to his job.

On one occasion Mr Purvinas even locked the doors of the union’s office and sent staff home to deprive the executive of the chance to meet.

“He was a warrior that flexed his muscle in many Machiavellian ways, including by nib of the pen or keyboard,” said Justice Raper’s judgment.

His claim that union rules were breached in the course of moving the no confidence motion was discontinued in July, but that was not the end of the dispute.

The eight executives named in his lawsuit, sought to press for costs on the basis Mr Purvinas had instituted the proceeding vexatiously.

By that, the court needed find Mr Purvinas had intended to harass or embarrass the other party or to gain collateral damage.

Justice Raper said she was satisfied that was the case in this instance, finding Mr Purvinas to be untruthful and “prepared to create unnecessary obstacles to thwart the union’s capacity to function at all”.

“His conduct in closing the office, locking its federal executive out, were actions that were completely antithetical to acting in members’ interests and entirely inconsistent with a federal secretary concerned with the proper operation of and adherence to union rules,” wrote Justice Raper.

“This extraordinary behaviour belies Mr Purvinas’ submission as to his ‘proper personal interest’ having been federal secretary for 17 years and keen to protect the interests of union members.”

Orders were made that Mr Purvinas must pay the other executives’ costs of the proceedings.

ALAEA’s 2000 members were informed of his resignation from the role on November 1.

Mr Purvinas said he had decided to leave the industrial relations system and “might try something more satisfying like bushwalking”.

“Our workplace laws enable union workers to assist others while providing less protection in the workplace for the union workers themselves,” he said.

“I cannot reconcile that dichotomy. After 18 years in charge of a union, I need a break.”