The Australian Services Union has sent a “please explain” to Qantas about its AI strategy.
In a letter to Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson, ASU deputy national secretary Scott Cowen said recent comments from hudson at this month’s Macquarie Australia Conference on cost reduction and integrating AI across the Qantas Group.
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“These statements make clear that Qantas’ AI deployment is not speculative: it is an active program of significant workforce changes, directly linked to cost reduction and workforce impacts,” he wrote.
“The ASU recognizes that technological change can deliver operational benefits. However, the approach that Qantas publicly outlined – linking AI adoption to cost reductions and headcount reductions – raises serious concerns about the impact on secure employment and the long-term sustainability of the aviation workforce.”
The union is seeking “urgent engagement” with Qantas on current and planned AI deployments; anticipated impacts on the workforce; and how Qantas will meet its consultation obligations and protect affected employees.
“Aviation is a business powered by hard-working people. The premium service Qantas passengers expect is based on the expertise of our members, not the efficiency of an algorithm,” Cowen said in a statement.
“We are seeking an urgent meeting with Vanessa Hudson to ensure this rapid AI push is used to support and grow our highly skilled workforce, rather than being used as a high-tech smokescreen for further job cuts and a reduced customer experience.”
“It is deeply concerning that, while Qantas publicly celebrates the ‘unlimited’ potential of AI for investors, it has refused to enshrine basic workforce protections and consultation requirements in our recent agreements.”
As reported in The AustralianHudson told the Macquarie conference last week that the AI plan would help Qantas increase efficiency and is not simply about “reducing headcount”.
“We see many use cases that unlock value not only to reduce costs but also to deliver better revenue results and better operational results.”
“We had a three-person team spend four weeks developing for Qantas an AI tool that combines schedules with maintenance records, with rosters, with weather patterns, connects to customer transfer information and generates a daily prediction of on-time performance.
“He leads both our integrated operations center and our airport teams and has had three or four points of improvement in on-time performance since he started.”
Hudson’s presentation followed the job cuts at Qantas head office earlier this year, which the airline denied were a bid to replace workers with AI.
“With the airline already cutting 400 front office positions this year, our members need more than corporate buzzwords – they need concrete assurances that AI will not be used to further erode job security or work intensity across the airline’s operations,” Cowen said.
“If Qantas is seeing measurable improvements in punctuality thanks to new technology, that productivity dividend should be shared with the workers who achieve those results, not used solely to reduce headcount.
“Consultation must be genuine and proactive; our members should not learn about the future of their own roles through media reports from the Macquarie Conference.”
Qantas has been contacted for comment.
