$20,000 pay rises for flight attendants from Labor’s Same Job, Same Pay laws

More than 750 Qantas domestic flight attendants will receive significant pay rises as part of an agreement reached under the Albanese Labor Government’s Same Job Same Pay (SJSP) laws.

The agreement reached between the airline and the Flight Attendants' Association of Australia (FAAA) will deliver pay rises of up to $20,000 a year or 42 percent for some workers.

These pay rises are a direct result of Labor's workplace laws, which closed the loophole that allowed labour hire workers to be paid significantly less than direct employees of a business, despite doing the same work on the same rosters.

More than 2,400 international flight attendants who had previously been working for labour hire operators will also be employed directly, giving these workers life changing job security so they can plan for their futures. This builds on pay increases of up to 30 percent the FAAA were able to negotiate for Qantas’ international crew using the same SJSP legislation as the basis for the negotiations.

Getting wages moving again has been a key focus of the Albanese Government and our changes are putting more money in the pockets of workers and easing cost of living pressures.

Peter Dutton and the Coalition have promised to review Labor’s Same Job, Same Pay laws if they are elected, with their Workplace Relations spokesperson calling the laws “devastating”.

Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Murray Watt said this reflected the Coalition’s attitude to fair pay for working people.

“These are workers who wear the same uniform, do the same work, work the same rosters but have been paid significantly less than their colleagues."

“They do the same job and they deserve the same pay.

“Peter Dutton and the Coalition want to scrap these laws, the very laws that are making sure people are being paid fairly.

“It’s pure arrogance – they brag about being on the side of bosses and promise to cut workers’ pay while pretending they care about the cost of living.

“Your pay is at risk under Peter Dutton and the Coalition, it’s simple as that.”

Quotes attributable to Megan - Domestic Flight Attendant:

"I have been a Domestic flight attendant for 14 years and I have seen all of our negotiations be an absolute fight to get the bare minimum.

“The new legislation has finally given us the opportunity to be successful in receiving a fair and liveable wage.

“Flight attendants were scared to take leave as they couldn't afford their rent on base pay.

“Now they finally can. This is a monumental moment for us all and wouldn't have been possible without these changes."