So long. Farewell. Good Riddance
4 May 2023
Alan Joyce will step down as CEO of Qantas in November.
This is certainly good news for our airlines members.
Joyce has been at the helm for 15 years. Since he took the reigns, Qantas management has deliberately splintered the workforce - setting up its own labour-hire companies to suppress and control pay and conditions, before using the cover of Covid to complete the mission to axe, outsource and offshore as many jobs as possible.
Joyce will be remembered for:
- the grounding of Qantas’ entire fleet in 2011 amid an industrial dispute;
- the outsourcing of 1,700 ground handling jobs that was later ruled illegal; and
- a post-pandemic deterioration in service quality and soaring air fares
Qantas’s current chief financial officer, Vanessa Hudson, will take over as CEO.
According to The Guardian Australia, when asked how she would differ from Joyce, Hudson spoke of repairing the combative relationship between Qantas and unions that Joyce had overseen.
“I’m also looking forward to meeting unions and union leaders and I look forward to developing a constructive relationship with them for the benefit of our people, but also for the benefit of our organisation,” she said.
As they say, the proof will be in the pudding.