Five years on, the human cost of Qantas's illegal sackings

When Alan Joyce was writing his memoir, five former Qantas workers were still rebuilding their lives after being illegally sacked in 2020. The Federal Court ruled that Qantas breached the Fair Work Act by outsourcing the jobs of about 1,700 ground staff to avoid industrial action. For five of those workers, the aftermath has been a mix of financial hardship, career changes, and emotional toll. One now drives a forklift; another retrained as a nurse. All received compensation, but the scars remain. The ruling, which also imposed a record fine on the airline, sent a clear message about corporate accountability. However, Qantas has argued the outsourcing was necessary for survival during the pandemic. The case has become a symbol of the tension between business decisions and worker protections.