Negotiation in Qantas: Trade Union Dispute and Conflict Resolution Strategies

Negotiation
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Qantas airline was established in the year 1921 in Australia. Its biggest market is Australia with
65 percent of market share, it operates in 41 regions, there are 146 fleets owned by the brand that
runs on both national and international boundaries. 33,625 employees are working with the brand
and helping in making strong market presence with 15 percent of total travellers from local
market. There is long history of trade union issues in Qantas.
Recently according to announcement states those workers get extra payment of $2000 cash
performance bonus plus $500 travel voucher for its 27000 frontline staff. However, soon it was
stated that worker were only eligible to get cash bonus if they signed the new wage agreement;
therefore trade union claim this bonus as bribe to employee and it would make them work
harder. According to agreement provision any employee or their colleague if harm Qantas, entire
group loses eligibility for bonus (Hatch, 2018).
According to company management perspective if was disappointing that union rejected that
bonus as it include proposal for annual wage increase of 3 percent. However, union is upset with
the clause of collective punishment of one or two colleagues. To deal this negotiation process,
union has written application to fair work commission, stating to address EA negotiation and
LAME pay structure quotas.
Conflict negotiation is practiced everywhere in all industries, organization and region.
Communication plays key role in negotiation management, it include verbal and non-verbal cues.
It must be in align with type of conflict, which can be interest, needs, right, power or
miscommunication (Cheldelin, 2003). Even power can be used to resolve conflict, here interest,
wants and needs of both the parties involved in the conflict negotiation process. It is common
process used to address management and trade union issues. For example, in Qantas employees
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