Australian courts have fined the country’s largest airline, Qantas, 90 million Australian dollars (about 59 million US dollars) for illegally dismissing more than 1,800 employees during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Australian Transport Workers’ Union welcomed the decision, calling it the largest employer fine in the country’s history. Federal Court judge Michael Lee emphasized that the fine should serve as a warning to other major companies.
In a statement, Qantas said it agreed to pay the fine and acknowledged responsibility for the “real harm” caused to employees. According to company CEO Vanessa Hudson, the 2020 decision to outsource work to external organizations had severe consequences for employees and their families.
Under the court’s decision, 50 million dollars of the fine will be paid directly to the union. The union stated that this was “a victory for justice after a five-year struggle” and an important decision for loyal employees who had long loved working for the airline.
This fine is one of several controversies Qantas has faced in recent years. In 2024, the company was also forced to pay 120 million dollars in compensation to unlawfully dismissed employees, and in 2023 it was fined 100 million dollars for selling tickets to canceled flights.
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