Australian court fines Qantas $59mln for illegal layoffs
Federal Court Justice Michael Lee said he wanted the fine to be a 'real deterrence' to firms that might be tempted by the financial rewards of breaching employment law.
The penalty concluded a years-long court battle between unions and the carrier.
Qantas decided to sack the workers and outsource their jobs in August 2020, a period of lockdowns and border closures when no COVID-19 vaccine existed.
Australia's Federal Court subsequently found that Qantas had acted illegally despite its stated 'commercial imperatives' and later dismissed an appeal by the airline.
Long-dubbed the 'Spirit of Australia', 104-year-old Qantas has been on a mission to repair its reputation, which has been hit in recent years by the illegal sackings, soaring ticket prices, claims of sloppy service and the selling of seats on already-cancelled flights.
Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson took over in 2023, promising to improve customer satisfaction.
She replaced Alan Joyce, who stepped down earlier than planned as Qantas endured heavy criticism over its treatment of workers and passengers, despite delivering bumper profits for shareholders.
Qantas' fine is to be split into two parts, the court said, with Aus$50 million going to the Transport Workers Union and Aus$40 million being held for future payments to the former workers.
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