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Qantas ordered to resume flights after tribunal ruling Qantas ordered to resume flights after tribunal ruling
(40 minutes later)
An independent tribunal in Australia has ordered a permanent end to the industrial dispute that has grounded all Qantas flights.An independent tribunal in Australia has ordered a permanent end to the industrial dispute that has grounded all Qantas flights.
Fair Work Australia issued its ruling after hearing evidence from the airline, unions and government at an emergency session in Melbourne.Fair Work Australia issued its ruling after hearing evidence from the airline, unions and government at an emergency session in Melbourne.
Nearly 70,000 people have been affected by the cancellation of hundreds of flights in 22 countries. Qantas had wanted the ruling and said it could resume flights within hours, but it has given no details as yet.
Qantas has been dispute with three unions over several months. Nearly 70,000 people have been affected by flight cancellations in 22 nations.
Correspondents say the ruling is likely to be seen as a victory for Qantas, which has been seeking to end long-running disputes with three unions, and for the government, which wanted the damaging stand-off resolved quickly.
The row came to a head in August after the airline announced plans for restructuring and moving some operations to Asia.The row came to a head in August after the airline announced plans for restructuring and moving some operations to Asia.
Permanent end
The Fair Work Australia ruling said: "We have decided to terminate protected industrial action in relation to each of the proposed enterprise agreements immediately."
The ruling requires the unions to return to the negotiating table and come to an agreement within 21 days or face binding arbitration.
Fair Work Australia said its ruling had taken into account its concern for the vulnerability of the tourism industry.
Australia's government welcomed the decision, with Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten saying: "We are pleased that after 24 hours of turmoil, commonsense has been restored."
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce had warned it would only resume operations if the tribunal ordered a permanent end, rather than merely a suspension, of industrial action.
The unions had wanted a suspension for up to 120 days to allow talks.
Secretary of the ACTU union Jeff Lawrence said the ruling had made it clear that union action was not causing harm to the economy and that it was Qantas's actions that had brought the tribunal's intervention.
He said the ruling showed Qantas's decision to lockout its workers and ground aircraft was a disproportionate response to the unions' negotiating position.
The airline announced its decision to ground all flights on Saturday, saying it was a necessary reaction to industrial action that was costing A$15m ($16m) a week.The airline announced its decision to ground all flights on Saturday, saying it was a necessary reaction to industrial action that was costing A$15m ($16m) a week.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce had warned it would only resume operations if the tribunal ordered a permanent end, rather than a suspension, of industrial action.
But he said flights could resume within hours once a permanent end was ordered.
Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard had earlier said the dispute between the airline and unions needed to be halted.Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard had earlier said the dispute between the airline and unions needed to be halted.
A government lawyer said the shutdown was costing the Australian economy "tens of millions" of dollars every hour.A government lawyer said the shutdown was costing the Australian economy "tens of millions" of dollars every hour.
Job losses
A Qantas statement on Saturday said all employees involved in industrial action would be locked out from Monday evening and flights grounded from 0600 GMT on Saturday.
The announcement came after months of wrangling between the airline's management and unions.
Relations started deteriorating in August after the airline announced plans for restructuring and moving some operations to Asia.
Qantas has a 65% share of the domestic Australian market, but has been making heavy losses on its international flights.
The restructuring is expected to mean the loss of 1,000 jobs from its 35,000-strong workforce.
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