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NEWS: The Age 06 Aug 03: Workers walk over Qantas drug tests

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BigTrancer

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Workers walk over Qantas drug tests
August 6 2003

About 150 Qantas employees walked off the job in Melbourne today in protest at the airline's proposed random drug and alcohol testing program.

A Qantas spokesman said the 30-minute stopwork at the Melbourne Airport domestic terminal ended at 11.30am with no major impact on the airline's services into and out of Melbourne.

Australian Services Union Victorian secretary Ingrid Stitt said ramp and baggage handlers, airport staff and some flight attendants joined the meeting.

Ms Stitt said the workers voted not to participate in the random program, which is due to be trialled in Sydney by the end of the month.

She said they also called on Qantas to negotiate with unions on introducing an impairment-based drug and alcohol regime, underpinned by support, education and safety.

A second meeting is scheduled to take place at Qantas's maintenance depot at 2pm, where about 600 staff are expected to stop work to vote on the same resolution.

Ms Stitt said it was not expected to have any impact on Qantas services.

The proposed breath and urine tests are designed to detect alcohol, stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens, including prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Under the trial, employees will be required to notify their supervisor if they are taking medication that falls into any of those categories.

Yesterday, about 900 Qantas employees at Sydney Airport voted to oppose the program and support any staff member who refused the test, or was subjected to disciplinary action as a result of a positive test.

Ten unions will present a petition opposing the plan to Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon on Friday, along with a flagon of wine and a packet of cold and flu tablets.

They have also this week lodged an appeal against the trial in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

Qantas workers will also stage a meeting in Brisbane tomorrow.

From: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/06/1060064221180.html
Click to expand...

"Under the trial, employees will be required to notify their supervisor if they are taking medication that falls into any of those categories." <-- that worries me a bit. I gather this is to preclude people saying "Oh yeah, I took ibuprofen this morning, that's why I got that positive reading". I wonder what the impact on an employment contract would be if a drug user takes the unconventional step of 'disclosing' several potential false positive medications in the hope of being able to explain away any positive test.

BigTrancer :)
 
I've been following this for some years now, it's taken 2 years for Qantas to get the policy released. I don't know where Qantas are coming from with this, it's like they want to see a drug problem. There is no drug problem in Qantas.... from what I understand, out of the 35,000 employees there is about 30 in rehab at the moment.
Something that really frightens me is that Qantas are one of those companies that implement a policy and then the whole country follows thinking Qantas are doing the right thing. So in years to come will kids be getting drug tested to earn a few extra bucks at McDonalds?
I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome of this, cause i think the outcome of this will effect most Australians in years to come.
 
I am also very interested in the outcome of this situation, as there was a call recently to introduce random drug testing for nurses. I agree with this:
I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome of this, cause i think the outcome of this will effect most Australians in years to come.
Click to expand...
Look at how common place drug tests are in the USA (the number of "will I pass this test?" questions that appear on this board are testament to that). I would hate to see Australia heading the same way.
 
Legally speaking qantas cannot force its employees to partake in drug testing unless there is a clause in the employment contract. Qantas may redraw peoples contracts with one in it, but if the only thing they add is a drug testing clause it could be considered workplace coersion which i think is illegal?

The thing that pisses me off tho, is how they seem to think they have a right to mandate what their employees do outside of work hours. Most people get paid for 40 hours a week, and when youre not getting paid your employer realistcally has no say in what youd do. As long as people arent under the influence at work then honestly i cant see how any employer can claim to have juristiction over this.

Sure taking drugs may be illegal, but if breaking the law we grounds for dismissal then everyone with a car would get sacked for speeding. Likewise, i cant see how they can impose disciplinary action for things you do outside work.

IN short , i hope all of qantas' employees give them a big fuck off.
 
I also hope that Qantas employers tell the airline to go fuck itself. However in the increasingly USA-like Australia I'm not sure which way the die will fall.

The only good thing about this system is the requirement for the staff to inform managers of any drugs they have taken. That one clause (with a bit of careful spreading of information) could easily fuck up the entire program as staff list every single pill they took (or didn't actually take).

I can't wait until one of the board of Qantas gets nicked for speeding and then has to justifiy to the company why he law breaking shouldn't result in his dismissal but a crime which has no victim and can harm no other people should result in dismissal.
 
I have been anonymously donated a copy of the Qantas Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy, and the Qantas Drug and Alcohol Testing FAQ. I'll read through them as soon as I get time.

BigTrancer :)
 
Agreed as all have said here. I have a question though ( besides BT's Supermoderator question ;) )

- is this testing the idea of a few individuals or is it an action group or someting along those lines?

As Kooky77 said, its almost like Qantas is looking for a problem where there isnt one. Or is there actually one?
 
I don't think it's a few individuals or an action group pushing for drug testing.
I do think Qantas may be getting some pressure from the USA's FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and the Aussie CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority).

From what I understand everyone in the aviation industry in the USA is drug tested.
 
[Edits: Off topic comments removed. Supermoderator post in main forum explains itself. BT]
 
On thursday 7th of August this was heard in (AIRC) The Australian Industrial Relations Commission. It sounds like the Qantas Unions had a win.
The drug testing trial will now only effect non-unionists, which only accounts for about 900 of the 35000 employees.
The unions want Qantas to do impairment tests rather than urine tests.It goes back to the AIRC on the 15th of August.
I'm sure Qantas will get what they want, this will just slow the process down.
 
IMHO impairment tests are far more reasonable approach to workplace safety than urine tests. Productivity on the other hand could easily be influenced by drugs that you've taken the day or two before, IMHO. I guess it depends what they're really trying to achieve.

BigTrancer :)
 
Thats it.... I'm leaving australia. If things keep going this way I suspect we will be an occupied territory of the united states, with Johny getting the backdoor bush.

Why is Australian policy ALWAYS following that of the US, when obviously people can see it isn't really working.

Good on the unions for putting up a stand!
 
This is the latest, what the unions have offered Qantas

Qantas Alcohol and Other Drug Policy

For Cause and Incident Based Testing

Employee can undertake testing for drugs and alcohol, in the following circumstances:

1. For cause testing (reasonable cause)
2. Post near-miss/incident/accident testing.
3. Voluntary testing.

For cause or reasonable cause testing.

If the employee exhibits signs of unusual behaviour and there is reasonable belief there are grounds to conduct for cause testing:
„h The employee will be required to cease work immediately or not commence work without penalty or loss of income.
„h The supervisor will supply the employee with a signed written account of the observation.
„h Supervisor, Health and Safety Representative and Union Delegate will consult to discuss circumstances surrounding the employee's behaviour and decide whether the employee will be required to complete a For Cause Test.
„h The employee will also be offered a medical examination and this should include, assessment and testing ( if available ) for environmental contaminants if requested by the employee
„h In the event that the Health and Safety Representative, Union Delegate and Supervisor cannot reach agreement the matter will be referred to the next level of Management and/or a Qantas Medical Officer
Next level of Management and/or Qantas Medical Officer will decide whether to test or not after consulting the employee's union delegate.

Reasonable belief to conduct for cause testing includes, but not limited to the following:

„h observed use of drug or alcohol;
„h smell of alcohol on breath;
„h unusual or aggressive or abnormal behaviour;
„h difficulty in maintaining normal balance eg. unsteady gait;
„h poor coordination & slowed reactions;
„h slurred speech;
„h fluctuating mood;
„h illogical and / or unrelated responses to questions;
„h confusion, inability to understand and connect thoughts.

These observable signs may occur from either a sudden impairment of the employee's behaviour, a more gradual deterioration over time, or other indications that an employee is unfit for work.

2. Drugs:

Process for possible drug impairment:

i. Employee will be informed in writing why the employer requires the employee to undertake an impairment test.
ii. Employee may elect to have a witness present during the testing procedure.
iii. Testing as per attachment for ¡§Horizontal Gaze & Nystagmus Procedure¡¨, ¡§Walk and Turn Procedure¡¨, and/or ¡§One Leg Stand Procedure¡¨.
iv. Testing will be undertaken by authorised medical officer.
v. If the employee fails the impairment test, employee may elect to use sick leave entitlements until commencement of next shift, or elect to undergo further testing for the presence of drugs.
vi. Drug testing protocol as per attachment.
vii. Persons recording a failed test will be required to undergo the impairment test to pass is recorded. Persons recording failed test results are offered access to the Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). Employees in this category should also be provided with a copy of the company policy.
viii. Persons recording failed test results are offered access to the Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). Employees in this category should also be provided with a copy of the company policy.
 
^^^^

Is it just my reading of this, or are they saying that employees can only be tested if they are impaired, and if they test positively they can take sick leave until they are no longer impaired and are offered access to counselling?

If this is the case, I'm not so sure I'm against it. I believe an employer should have a right to determine if you are under the influence whilst at work.

I'm glad iPrimus never had the policy though, I would've been fired long before I told a customer to fuck off :)

BTW helping people set up internet connections over the phone whilst on acid isn't easy, especially when you tell them to click on where the naked black women are...
 
What the use of informing someone in writing that they are going to be 'impairment tested'? If they're fucked up, they won't be able to read it anyway... ;) Maybe that's the first test....

BigTrancer ;)
 
It's so you get a chance to put in for "stress leave"

Hopefully the local GP will agree and give the time off.
No bullshit in that, it would be stressful.
 
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