Freight workers for the Qantas-owned Australian Air Express will benefit from an almost $7,000 (US$4,800) annual pay increase, thanks to a new agreement brokered by the Australian Services Union (ASU).
This deal aligns the wages of Australian Air Express employees with those of their Qantas Freight counterparts, marking a victory in the ASU’s ongoing “same job, same pay” campaign.
ASU National Secretary Emeline Gaske expressed her satisfaction with the outcome, highlighting the importance of equitable pay for workers in identical roles.
“Workers at Australian Air Express, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas, perform the same duties alongside their Qantas Freight colleagues,” Gaske noted. “However, those at Australian Air Express have faced significantly lower wages for far too long.”
The ASU leader also noted the challenging nature of air freight work, calling it crucial to the economy.
“Air freight workers operate under constant pressure to meet strict deadlines for loading and unloading cargo from aircraft. These essential workers ensure that our postal system and air freight services run smoothly,” she said.
“They are responsible for timely deliveries, including holiday gifts, safe transportation of pets, and urgent organ transplants. They deserve fair compensation and respect, which we’ve successfully achieved today.”
Steve, an Australian Air Express freight worker, welcomed the news.
“We work closely with Qantas freight workers who perform the same job, and it has always felt unjust to be paid less, especially when we are part of a Qantas-owned company. We were disheartened to discover that the previous arrangement allowing us to be paid less was entirely legal at the time,” he said.
He also expressed pride in the collective effort of his colleagues, stating, “I’m truly proud that my fellow ASU members and I worked together to make this change happen.”
The agreement comes amidst ongoing tensions at Qantas, with over a thousand engineers staging a two-hour strike at major airports across Australia on Sept. 30.
These engineers have been in negotiations with the airline since April, demanding a 5 percent pay rise each year, including a substantial 15 percent increase in the first year, to compensate for over three years of wage freezes.
Their previous enterprise agreement expired at the end of June.
The protest led to the cancellations and delays of many flights across Australia.
