Australia’s top court on Thursday ruled Qantas Airways (QAN.AX) broke the law by sacking 1,700 ground staff and replacing them with contractors early in the COVID-19 pandemic, reinvigorating public criticism of a company already facing multiple scandals.
The High Court of Australia said Qantas had commercial reasons for its actions in 2020 – the height of pandemic-driven border closures – but broke industrial law because it “sought to thwart” the unionised employees’ rights to engage in industrial action and collectively bargain.
The ruling builds on a sense of public fury towards the flagship carrier that culminated in the early retirement of its long-serving CEO this month following an antitrust lawsuit accusing the airline of selling tickets to thousands of flights after they were cancelled.
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