According to Qantas, its chief executive Alan Joyce has received a threatening letter associated with the company’s ongoing industrial dispute.
This letter has emerged during a conflict between the Australian airline and its unions regarding a restructuring and outsourcing plan that may result in job losses.
Doubts have been expressed by officials from two unions about the letter’s authenticity, citing uncertainty about its sender.
The police are currently looking into the situation.
Reports from Australian media state that the letter included the message: “The unions will fight you… Qantas is our airline, started and staffed by Australians, not foreign filth like you.”
Having served as Qantas’ chief executive since November 2008, Mr. Joyce hails from Ireland.
Luke Enright from Qantas verified the letter’s contents to the press but declined to provide additional comments on the issue.
In contrast, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) have accused the airline of turning the situation into a public relations strategy.
Steve Purvinas, federal secretary of ALAEA, mentioned to the BBC, “We’re not certain if it originated from a disgruntled employee, or if it was fabricated by Qantas management to elicit public sympathy.”
Tony Sheldon, TWU’s national secretary, remarked, “This is an uncorroborated piece of correspondence, either generated by Qantas or sent by any of its 35,000 employees or individuals external to the company.”
They suggested that the airline’s public support has waned due to its restructuring tactics and job relocations abroad, prompting it to seek public sympathy through such measures.
“The pertinent question is whether they approached the police first or went to the media,” TWU’s Mr. Sheldon asserted. “They shared the letter with the media prior to informing their staff.”
A dispute between the airline and union members has led to disruptions in Qantas’ services.
Last month, Qantas cancelled 28 flights, and an additional 27 flights were delayed after ground staff initiated a four-hour work stoppage at all major Australian airports.
Union members have been staging strikes against the proposed restructuring, which aims to expand the airline’s operations in Asia.
Additionally, Qantas has revealed plans to establish two new airlines, one of which will be a budget carrier based in Japan. Concurrently, Singapore and Malaysia are being considered for the other venture’s hub.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the outsourcing of particular jobs, potentially leading to up to 1,000 job cuts in Australia.
