MARCH 11, 2021 – The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (the AMWU) says a Morrison Government discount flight offer to try and sweeten cutting Job Keeper payments for aviation workers is insulting and will leave them stranded and unable to make ends meet.
Aviation workers won’t be able to afford to pay their mortgages, rent, bills, or put food on the table let alone enjoy the discount regional travel the Government is offering.
The AMWU say ripping away wage support now will leave workers to face more insecure work and it risks wasting hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money.
AMWU’s members are highly skilled aircraft maintenance engineers, any losses of these jobs and skills will impact the industry. The Morrison Government must act to secure all jobs.
Quotes attributable to Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) national secretary Steve Murphy:
“You can’t give with one hand and take away with the other. The Morrison Government is trying to sweeten a bitter pill by offering discounted regional while at the same time cutting Job Keeper.
“It might help boost the numbers of people traveling and get aviation back on off the ground, but this is an insult to workers who are going to lose their jobs in huge numbers.
“Aviation workers will be left with either insecure income, or no income, unable to pay their mortgages, or rent and put food on the table.
“Aviation was the first sector hit hard by Covid-19 and it’s going to be the last to recover due to government restrictions on travel. Some aviation workers have only been working once a week since the pandemic started. Cutting Job Keeper leaves them stranded.”
Quotes attributable to Qantas worker Glenn Wilcox
“While the general public will be given cheap flights aviation workers like me won’t be able to afford it because we face losing wages or work.
“Cheap regional flights in lieu of helping struggling families at the coal face who won’t be able to put food on the table is a disgrace.
“This is another kick in the guts for aviation workers and the industry as a whole that was first to be impacted and will be last to recovery.”