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Qantas will demand that all of its employees be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, as the debate over mandatory vaccination in Australian workplaces intensifies.
By November 15, all frontline workers, including cabin crew, pilots and airport workers, will need to be fully immunized. All remaining employees will have until March 31, 2022 to be vaccinated.
The vaccination mandate applies to all employees of Qantas and its low cost carrier Jetstar.
The airline said there would be exemptions for employees who cannot be vaccinated for documented medical reasons, but said it expected this cohort to be “very rare.”
The policy was announced after Qantas surveyed 12,000 employees, or about 60% of its Australian-based workforce. The consultation found that 89% had already been or planned to be vaccinated, and about 75% of staff said they believed mandatory vaccines should be a requirement.
About 4% of airline staff were unwilling or unable to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
A separate survey of 1,000 Qantas customers found that 92% expected their crew to be fully vaccinated.
Qantas Group Managing Director Alan Joyce said, “Having a fully vaccinated workforce will protect our employees against the virus, but also protect our customers and the communities we serve.
“A crew member can fly to multiple cities and come into contact with thousands of people in a single day. Making sure they’re vaccinated given the potential for this virus to spread is so important and I think that’s the kind of safety leadership people expect from us. “
Joyce, who has previously announced that vaccine passports will be mandatory for passengers when Qantas resumes international flights, said: “It is clear that vaccinations are the only way to end the cycle of lockdowns and closures of borders. “
In early August, Qantas laid off 2,500 additional national employees, in addition to 6,000 international employees in the same position.
On Wednesday, Joyce said vaccinations were necessary to ensure workers could return to work, and that point was addressed by staff in the investigation.
“Even with thousands of our people withdrew [support for mandatory vaccinations] shows how important it is to them.
“Many of our employees have said they would feel concerned about working with unvaccinated colleagues, something that many workplaces across the country are struggling with.
“We understand that there will be a very small number of people who decide not to be vaccinated, and it is their right, but it is our responsibility to provide the safest environment possible for our employees and our clients.”
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A day before Qantas stepped down in August, the Morrison government unveiled a $ 100 million program to help domestic airlines retain staff through lockdowns and border closures – a payment of $ 750 per week for half of their crew if they can show a 30% slowdown in activity since Sydney was declared a national hotspot.
Qantas’ move follows canned fruit producer SPC which announced this month that it would require vaccines for its workers. Threats against the company were reported in the aftermath.
The government is meeting with employers and unions to discuss mandatory vaccinations.
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has warned that offering incentives for workers to get vaccinated could open up employers to claims for any adverse effects.
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