Qantas illegally suspended worker who told colleagues not to clean planes due to Covid risk, Australian court rules
- The airline targeted Theo Seremetidis in 2020 after he instructed staff that for safety reasons they did not have to clean two aircraft arriving from China
- The case follows a September verdict by Australia’s top court that Qantas illegally sacked almost 1,700 ground workers during the pandemic
Qantas Airways Ltd. illegally suspended a health and safety representative after he instructed colleagues not to clean planes arriving from Covid-19 hotspots at the start of the pandemic, an Australian court ruled in the latest blow to the airline’s battered reputation.
The ground worker at Sydney airport targeted by Qantas, Theo Seremetidis, told staff on February 2, 2020, that for safety reasons they did not have to clean two aircraft arriving from China that morning. Qantas broke the law when it suspended Seremetidis the same day, according to Thursday’s judgment.
The case follows a September ruling by Australia’s top court that Qantas illegally sacked almost 1,700 ground workers during the pandemic. The country’s antitrust watchdog is also suing the airline for allegedly continuing to sell tickets on thousands of flights it had already decided to cancel.
According to Thursday’s judgment, Seremetidis attempted to carry out his duties as a health and safety representative “conscientiously and carefully.” Sentences and costs are yet to be determined.
Qantas said it will review the judgment. “Our medical and safety teams worked tirelessly to provide daily updates to employees and to put effective controls and procedures in place to help protect our people and customers,” the airline said in a statement.