Qantas to Appeal Court Ruling on Ground Handling

Aug. 2, 2021

The airline has argued its decision to outsource in-house ground handling was a cost-saving measure in response to the pandemic, not a ploy to stifle union activity.

By Mike Cherney

Source MarketWatch

SYDNEY--Qantas Airways Ltd. said Friday that it intends to appeal a court ruling that found the airline breached employment law when it decided late last year to outsource some 2,000 ground handling jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Transport Workers' Union challenged the outsourcing in Australia's Federal Court, and earlier Friday the court agreed with the union that improperly preventing industrial action could have been a factor in Qantas's decision.