Airport staff take on Qantas in new YouTube campaign on service standards

By ASU - the airlines industry union

In a first for enterprise bargaining campaigns, the Australian Services Union has today launched a 30 second online advertisement accusing Qantas of cost cutting and downgrading service standards in airports across the country.

The YouTube ad will front the new campaign website at http://www.maintainthestandards.com.au/ and is part of a postcard, email and workplace based campaign to put pressure on Qantas in the lead up to their annual general meeting.

The 30 second ad shows a kangaroo bounding through the outback, with a voice over warning about sliding customer service standards at the airline.

"How much longer will Qantas be able to maintain their customer service standards if they keep cutting staff numbers and wages?"

Assistant National Secretary of the ASU, Linda White, said the clip was part of the Union's campaign to highlight the downgrading of services at Qantas.

Qantas airport staff have already collected more than 1000 postcards signed by the flying public, addressed to Geoff Dixon, Qantas CEO.

Ms White said that airport staff were particularly angry that Qantas was cutting staff, downgrading classifications and refusing to negotiate a new enterprise agreement while paying themselves millions in executive bonuses.

Ms White said:

"Despite Qantas executives paying themselves millions in executive bonuses, they want to pay new customer service staff $4000 per year less.

"That will mean a decline in customer service standards at Qantas counters around the country.

"This ad marks the start of our intense campaign to highlight the double standards and penny pinching antics of the Qantas executives.

"We will be emailing the ad to thousands of members and encouraging the flying public to visit the website."

View the ad at http://www.maintainthestandards.com.au/