JOHN BERGER
TWU VIC/TAS BRANCH SECRETARY
URGENT NEED TO EXTEND JOBKEEPER TO DNATA
Workers are available to speak about their experience
The Transport Workers Union Victoria and Tasmania are urgently calling on the Federal Government to extend the JobKeeper scheme to Dnata workers. This comes after an announcement from the Federal Government this morning which sees JobKeeper extended to over 500,000 Victorians.
Dnata workers have been left out of the JobKeeper scheme for the entirety of this pandemic due to their employer being a foreign-owned company. Dnata workers are Australian workers, all of whom pay taxes to the Australian Government – many of whom have been Australian taxpayers for over 20 years.
“The aviation industry is a workforce filled with individuals with specialised skills, Dnata workers are no different. If the Government does not urgently act to ensure that Dnata workers here in Victoria have access to JobKeeper, we know many of those workers will have to make the tough choice to leave the aviation industry.” John Berger, the TWU Victoria & Tasmania Secretary stated.
“Right now, Dnata workers are being forced to live below the poverty line. They have been stood down from their jobs in the aviation industry for almost 5 months; that is 5 months without a single penny from their employer going into their bank accounts.” Berger added.
“Not only do Dnata workers deserve Government support during this pandemic, but they also deserve the dignity which comes with it. We are calling on the Federal Government to ensure that Dnata workers are included in the extension of JobKeeper in Victoria.” Berger added.
Media contact:
Nellie Metcalfe
0475 055 414