The TWU has slammed Goyder’s attempt to retire in dignity after presiding over illegal conduct and called for genuine renewal of the board, not just a shuffling of the deckchairs.
The TWU said the CEO position should be removed from the board and a worker representative added to ensure independent scrutiny and holistic decision-making.
The union said Goyder’s long stretch of denial over losing the support of shareholders, customers and the public demonstrates the need for external regulation of aviation through a Safe and Secure Skies Commission.
The privatisation of airlines and airports has led to self-interested decision-making at the national carrier, with financial motives running counter to the reliable standards our aviation industry needs.
The union said Goyder should follow Joyce in an early 2023 exit after his position became untenable. The TWU recently found the Qantas board to be in breach of its own Code of Conduct and Ethics which states: “The key principle underpinning the Code is compliance with laws, regulations and ethical standards.”
It continues: “Compliance with the law means observing the letter and spirit of the law as well as managing the business of the Qantas Group so that the group and its personnel are recognised as ‘good corporate citizens’ at all times …”
The Qantas Board Charter also states: “the board is responsible for ensuring that Qantas management recognises Qantas’ legal and other obligations to all legitimate stakeholders” which are “groups… likely to sustain a social, environmental, economic or financial impact from Qantas’ actions. They include shareholders, customers, suppliers, employees, governments, regulators and members of the communities where Qantas operates…”
TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said:
“Joyce did very little right in his tenure at Qantas, but the one thing he did do was take an early exit and Goyder should follow him. Certainly not to escape accountability for illegal conduct but to pave the way for a reset of Qantas governance.
“This announcement is an attempt by Goyder to leave in a dignified manner with another year’s pay in his pocket, after presiding over the largest case of illegal sackings in Australian history.
“This isn’t genuine board renewal this is just shuffling the deckchairs. We need to put an end to illegal conduct being blindly rubber-stamped by a board that fails to scrutinise the CEO who is treated as their equal by having a place on the board. With no worker representation, Qantas governance has ignored the needs of the workforce and decimated jobs and standards.
“A fresh start for Qantas governance requires a new board composition that excludes the CEO and embeds a worker representative to avoid the repeat of colossal errors of judgement being repeated.
“The total failure of this board, which is in breach of its own Code of Conduct and Ethics, has exposed the absence of a regulatory body to ensure our national carrier and aviation industry are operating appropriately and effectively.
“Qantas has become a wannabe luxury consumer brand that really acts as a funnel for corporate greed. The legal loopholes it has exploited must be closed, and a Safe and Secure Skies Commission established to stabilise our essential aviation industry.”
