Qantas Ground Services has agreed to compensate HSR Theo Seremetidis with $21,000 after a court found he was unlawfully discriminated against.
The NSW District Court considered penalties for Qantas's breach of the Work Health and Safety Act, which occurred when Seremetidis directed colleagues not to clean planes from China during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Qantas still faces a potential fine of up to $500,000 for the breach.
The TWU described the compensation order as a 'drop in the ocean' for Qantas, but sees the order as important in holding Qantas accountable for its actions, and highlights the crucial role of HSRs in ensuring worker safety and well-being.
