TWU congratulates Ansett workers as they win 10 year fight for entitlements
As Ansett workers receive their final payment of entitlements today, 10
years on from the airline’s collapse, the Transport Workers’ Union of
NSW congratulated Ansett members on winning the fight for what they are
owed.
“The TWU congratulates our Ansett members on winning the long fight for their entitlements, with today’s final payment seeing them receive 96 cents in the dollar in entitlements owed,” TWU State Secretary Wayne Forno said.
“The TWU is proud to have been able to stand shoulder to shoulder with our members throughout their ten year fight. Obviously I would have liked to have seen every Ansett employee receive their full entitlements, however considering that at around this time ten years ago it looked as though most employees would get next to nothing, this is a great result.”
When the Ansett collapse occurred - in the same week as 9/11 - the TWU intervened immediately on behalf of its members.
Once employees receive their final payment today, in total $758 million in entitlements will have been paid to former Ansett employees.
“Our Ansett members are an inspiration to us all and showed us that the Australian worker can win the fight against the big end of town: through power in numbers, union solidarity and persistence,” Mr Forno said.
“The Ansett collapse put 15,000 people out of work and plunged many families into hardship and unemployment; however Ansett employees, stood staunch in their resolve for justice and sat out the front of that terminal for 178 days straight.
“Ansett activists were relentlessly determined to have their campaign heard; parking out the front of Kirribilli house for 2 weeks over Christmas, and making a stand against Liberal MP Jackie Kelly who said the plight of these Australian workers was nothing but ‘a little blip’ on the radar.”
David Lupton, former Ansett coordinator and co-delegate said, “The TWU gave us the best available advice on how to outlast the company and get our entitlements.
“If we had walked away for a second, it would have jeopardised any or all of our claim to entitlements. The level of organising to keep up the fight was a tremendous task. The advice and direction provided to us by the union was nothing short of gold.
“I’d also like to pay special thanks to the Administrators, KordaMentha, for their relentless efforts over the last ten years in helping us obtain the outcome we did.”
“The TWU is proud to have been able to stand shoulder to shoulder with our members throughout their ten year fight. Obviously I would have liked to have seen every Ansett employee receive their full entitlements, however considering that at around this time ten years ago it looked as though most employees would get next to nothing, this is a great result.”
When the Ansett collapse occurred - in the same week as 9/11 - the TWU intervened immediately on behalf of its members.
Once employees receive their final payment today, in total $758 million in entitlements will have been paid to former Ansett employees.
“Our Ansett members are an inspiration to us all and showed us that the Australian worker can win the fight against the big end of town: through power in numbers, union solidarity and persistence,” Mr Forno said.
“The Ansett collapse put 15,000 people out of work and plunged many families into hardship and unemployment; however Ansett employees, stood staunch in their resolve for justice and sat out the front of that terminal for 178 days straight.
“Ansett activists were relentlessly determined to have their campaign heard; parking out the front of Kirribilli house for 2 weeks over Christmas, and making a stand against Liberal MP Jackie Kelly who said the plight of these Australian workers was nothing but ‘a little blip’ on the radar.”
David Lupton, former Ansett coordinator and co-delegate
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David Lupton, former Ansett coordinator and co-delegate said, “The TWU gave us the best available advice on how to outlast the company and get our entitlements.
“If we had walked away for a second, it would have jeopardised any or all of our claim to entitlements. The level of organising to keep up the fight was a tremendous task. The advice and direction provided to us by the union was nothing short of gold.
“I’d also like to pay special thanks to the Administrators, KordaMentha, for their relentless efforts over the last ten years in helping us obtain the outcome we did.”