Qantas reaches ‘same job, same pay’ agreement with union representing cabin crew
Up to 800 Qantas short-haul cabin crew are set for a pay rise after the carrier reached a ‘same day, same pay’ deal with the union representing them.
How much those pay rises will be is yet to be worked out as part of ongoing discussions with the Flight Attendants’ Association of Australia and approval of the Fair Work Commission.
However, the carrier has estimated the gross cost impact of the proposed changes in 2024-25 to be around $60 million, and to commence from 1 November 2024.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.A separate, in-principle agreement that could see 2500 long haul cabin crew get a pay bump has also been announced.
The move comes after the Albanese Government in December passed same job, same pay legislation that makes it illegal for labour-hire workers to be paid less than regular employees.
In June and July, the FAAA submitted Same Job Same Pay applications to the Fair Work Commission for several short‑haul cabin crew workgroups that operate on Qantas’ Boeing 737 and Airbus A330 fleets.
They were employees of a wholly owned Qantas subsidiary, QF Cabin Crew Australia.
In a statement, Qantas also confirmed it had also reached an in-principle agreement with the FAAA around its long-haul cabin crew workforce.
“The in-principle agreement to vary the current Long Haul Cabin Crew Enterprise Agreement for around 2500 international crew to receive pay increases in line with Qantas short haul crew, also ensures that they have access to the new A350-1000 Ultra Long Range aircraft, including Project Sunrise flights,” the statement read.
“Qantas will continue to engage with long-haul cabin crew and their representatives about the proposed changes, which are also subject to an employee vote.”
Qantas Group chief people officer Catherine Walsh said the agreement will result in wage increases for hundreds of our short-haul cabin crew.
“The in‑principle agreement we have reached with the FAAA will, if voted up by employees, also mean an increase in pay for most long‑haul cabin crew, while also ensuring our international business can continue to grow in a fiercely competitive environment.”
FAAA federal secretary Teri O’Toole said she was hopeful the new agreement signalled a return to “a proper working relationship between the face of the International airline, its cabin crew, and the new CEO’s management team”.
“This is a far cry from the Qantas of just a couple of years ago, which declared open war against their cabin crew employees and held a gun to the heads of workers with applications to terminate their Enterprise Agreement.”
