The transport union is pushing for an investigation into a Qantas-linked coronavirus cluster at Adelaide Airport that has forced hundreds of staff into quarantine.
The Transport Workers' Union is urging health authorities in South Australia to investigate the outbreak, which has spread to 34 people including 18 baggage handlers and three other Qantas staff.
About 750 Qantas staff at the airport will self-quarantine for two weeks amid concerns COVID-19 has spread from baggage handlers to other workers.
National secretary Michael Kaine said Qantas had "continually downplayed" virus risks and the union would seek legal advice on the best way to hold the airline to account.
“Qantas has serious questions to answer over how it has handled the exposure and spread of the virus among its staff and into the community,” he said in a statement.
The TWU is compiling a dossier of evidence on how Qantas allowed the virus to spread at Adelaide Airport, which it plans to send to SA Health and SafeWork SA in the coming days.
Transport union secretary Michael Kaine is urging authorities to investigate a virus cluster linked to Qantas. Source: SBS News
"The evidence we have gathered so far shows that Qantas knowingly exposed other workers to the coronavirus after it became clear that a worker at Adelaide Airport had contracted the virus," South Australian branch secretary Ian Smith said.
"Instead of directing workers who had been in contact with that worker to self-isolate, Qantas directed staff to continue coming to work."
South Australia Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said those recently included in the cluster indicated a spread to other areas of the airline's operations.
Qantas said it would comply with the self-isolation directive and would continue to work closely with SA Health to identify workers who might have come in contact with the virus.
South Australia chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier says the virus may have spread to other Qantas operations. Source: AAP
“It’s really disappointing to see the TWU wilfully misrepresenting the situation at Adelaide Airport to drive their own agenda,” a Qantas spokeswoman told SBS News.
“Unfortunately, a few weeks ago one of our baggage handlers at the airport entered the workplace whilst infectious and unknowingly passed the virus to others.
“Qantas has complied fully with SA Health’s directions and any employee identified as needing to self-isolate through their contact tracing process has been immediately directed to do so."
The airline said staff impacted by the directive included cabin crew, pilots, customer service staff, engineers and baggage handlers.
It said some employees had already served all or the majority of the required quarantine period and all staff would continue to be paid for their period of self-isolation.
Qantas is also being investigated by the workplace safety watchdog in NSW after a staff member was stood down for voicing concerns about coronavirus.
The airline has said the employee was stood down after spreading misinformation about the safety of working on flights from China.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others and gatherings are limited to two people unless you are with your family or household.
If you believe you may have contracted the virus, call your doctor (don’t visit) or contact the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. If you are struggling to breathe or experiencing a medical emergency, call 000.
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