Qantas worker scores payout after airline's unbelievable act

  • Qantas will pay a worker for economic loss and ‘hurt and humiliation’ 
  • The worker instructed staff not to clean planes in February 2020
  • READ MORE: Gunman shoots man in the groin in the middle of the Sydney CBD 

A Qantas worker has been awarded compensation from the airline after he was sacked for raising safety concerns at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Theo Seremetidis, a trained health and safety representative, was stood down and isolated from his colleagues by Qantas in February 2020.

Qantas’ actions towards Mr Seremetidis came hours after he instructed others to stop cleaning and servicing planes, as he was worried about the spread of Covid-19.

Mr Seremetidis’ directive came the day after Australia closed its borders to direct flights from China.

Qantas has since agreed to pay compensation after the airline was found guilty last year for breaching workplace health and safety laws.

qantas worker scores payout after airline's unbelievable act

The trained health and safety representative had told staff to not clean or service planes over concerns of the spread of COVID in February 2020

A NSW District Court heard on Wednesday Qantas agreed to pay $6,000 for Mr Seremetidis’ economic loss as well as $15,000 for ‘hurt and humiliation’.

However, the court is yet to determine the national carrier’s full liability in fines, compensation and costs.

Mr Seremetidis’ case is the first where a major airline has faced criminal prosecution for violations of workplace safety regulations.

At the time, the Qantas worker told staff to not clean planes under Section 85 of the Work Health and Safety Act, which gives employees the right to cease unsafe work.

The court heard the decision to stand down Mr Seremetidis went to the ‘upper echelons’ of Qantas Ground Services as well as parent company Qantas.

‘They all held substantial positions of power over Mr Seremetidis,’ prosecution barrister Matthew Moir said.

Mr Moir said Qantas gave priority to its commercial and operational interests over the health and safety of its workers.

When Mr Seremetidis was stood down, he was immediately cut-off from other staff members and was told he could not even leave to fill up his water bottle in the employee meal room, the court heard.

‘He was removed from the workplace and he was not allowed to return,’ Mr Moir said.

Qantas later put in a letter laying out several reasons why it had suspended the health and safety representative from his role.

However, judge David Russell said in his November decision the letter was an unsuccessful attempt to find more reasons to back up the airline’s conduct.

‘I have found that the reason for QGS engaging in discriminatory conduct towards Mr Seremetidis was because he exercised a power or performed a function as a health and safety representative,’ he said.

READ MORE: Former Bunnings worker in Maroochydore launches legal action 

qantas worker scores payout after airline's unbelievable act

Nicole Moldenhauer (pictured), 43, who worked at Bunnings’ Marrochydoore store in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, has lodged a $500,000 claim against the Wesfarmers-owned hardware chain after she allegedly suffered a back injury while moving 20kg products onto shelving in 2018

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