Qantas suspends worker for allegedly spreading coronavirus misinformation

Qantas said an employee has been stood down for spreading misinformation about the safety of working on flights from China amid the coronavirus outbreak, but the Transport Workers’ Union said the man was simply providing advice to colleagues on their rights. The airline on Saturday announced it would suspend its two direct services to mainland China from 9 February due to travel restrictions imposed by other countries in the wake of the health crisis. A Qantas employee – who is also a delegate of the TWU – was stood down on Sunday pending an investigation. A source said the worker told other employees it was not safe to work on flights arriving from China, going against the advice of health authorities. Employees have been provided with additional safety equipment. “The TWU knows full well that the risk of aviation workers contracting coronavirus as a result of working on an aircraft originating from China is very low,” Brown said Thursday. Brown said additional protective measures were being put in place on flights from China to further reduce the risk of employees contracting coronavirus. The union has called on Qantas to re-instate the worker, who is a trained health and safety representative.<br/>