Fed: Former Ansett workers demand outstanding entitlements

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-2006
Fed: Former Ansett workers demand outstanding entitlements

SYDNEY, Dec 22 AAP - Former Ansett workers who say they are still owed more than $90
million following the airline's collapse in 2001 have delivered an angry Christmas message
to Prime Minister John Howard.

About 40 ex-employees and their families today gathered outside Kirribilli House, Mr
Howard's official residence in Sydney, to demand that the government pay them the outstanding
$93.1 million.

Waving placards reading "Ansett workers still waiting ... pay up Howard, pay up", the
demonstrators sang Christmas carols before delivering an "invoice" for their unpaid entitlements.

One man wore a T-shirt with the slogan, "Howard mugged Santa" and there were chants
of "Kevin Rudd is coming to town" in reference to the Labor leader's chances at next year's
federal election.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU), which organised the protest, warned Qantas employees
could face similar treatment to the Ansett workers if a proposed takeover of the Australian
carrier goes ahead.

Wayne Forno, TWU NSW assistant secretary, said the $11.1 billion takeover by a private
equity consortium would mean job insecurity for Qantas workers.

He said the union planned to launch an "aggressive" campaign for higher wages at Qantas
when its enterprise bargaining agreements (EBA) with the airline expire.

The TWU has organised a Christmas demonstration outside Kirribilli House every December
since Ansett collapsed five years ago.

"We will be coming down each year until such time as the Howard government changes
its mind," Mr Forno said.

Dave Lupton, who worked for Ansett for 27 years, said people were still suffering as
a result of the airline's collapse.

"People have actually lost homes and had cars repossessed," he told the protesters.

"They have had marriage break-ups. A lot of terrible things went through their lives
in the last five or six years.

"I don't want to see this happen to Qantas or to any other company."

Earlier this month, Ansett's administrators released a seventh dividend of $27 million,
bringing the amount paid to the airline's 15,000 former employees to $666.9 million.

But Mr Forno today said the ex-workers had so far received only about 80 cents in the
dollar of the entitlements owed to them.

AAP smm/was/it/sp

KEYWORD: ANSETT

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