An initiative to replace the JobKeeper wage subsidy announced by the Morrison Government for the aviation industry today, with no strings attached to protect jobs, will go straight to employers.

The scheme is intended to replace JobKeeper – a wage subsidy won by unions that has been keeping aviation workers in jobs since the beginning of the pandemic. But the package – the result of discussions between QANTAS Group and the Morrison Government will not be enough for many workers.

The ACTU and aviation unions are appealing to the Morrison Government to introduce Aviation Keeper, which would ensure aviation jobs are secured, as well as implement strict salary capping for executives, banning bonuses and dividends, and ban the outsourcing of jobs overseas.

 

Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary Sally McManus:

“The Morrison Government has returned to trickle-down economics, where there are no protections or guarantees for jobs – just hope employers will do the right thing.

“Almost 90 per cent of aviation workers’ jobs are still affected by the pandemic. We should keep the JobKeeper scheme that has worked very well for the past year and has proven fit-for-purpose. It is the most successful job-saving scheme in our country’s history.

“This package will not help workers, it contains no obligation on employers to keep workers employed, it won’t even be seen by them. This package will just line the pockets of employers, who’ve proven that they can’t be trusted to use taxpayer’s money to support their employees.

“Domestic travel is poised to make a comeback. It would give certainty and security to workers, if the Morrison Government implemented a full-scale continuation of JobKeeper for industries and sectors where it is still needed, rather than throwing money at some of the best-paid executives in the world.”