Qantas subsidiary facing gender/family bias case

[Matthew Chisholm]

The Federal Magistrates Court will in June hear a case brought by a female pilot formerly employed by a Qantas subsidiary who claims she was discriminated against when a male trainer subjected her to sexist comments.

Eastern Australian Airlines Pty Ltd engaged the pilot in late 2007 and required that she undergo simulator training and a proficiency test before she started flying.

The pilot's application to the Federal Magistrates Court alleges Eastern's check and training captain, who conducted the training and tests, made a series of inappropriate comments, such as:

* Why would you want two pilots in the family? (the pilot's husband is also a commercial pilot);

* My wife hates flying;

* Who is looking after the baby;

* I'm looking at you flying and thinking she's torturing herself. Why are you torturing yourself?

* Don't apply to Virgin or Jetstar; a mother should be with her kids;

* Why would a woman want to be a pilot? I don't understand;

* Why would a woman want a career and put a career before her children?

* Isn't it natural for a woman to want to be with her children? I'm just old fashioned;

* Why would you want to do that to your kids, put your career before your kids? We had a girl here who left and went to Jetstar, she is so selfish, I can't remember her name, what was her name? I think her husband was a pilot as well; and

* We have another mother who has just gone on extended leave because she found it too much. She went from captain to first officer".

The pilot subsequently felt anxious about having to undergo two weeks of further training with the trainer on flights with passengers.

A couple of days after the trainer allegedly made the comments, the company's training manager rang the pilot and told her he was aware of the captain's comments. The pilot outlined the content of the comments and told the training manager she was shocked and that it had shattered her confidence.

The training manager told her she was booked in for simulator training, and allegedly insisted she proceed with it when she maintained she wasn't ready, and couldn't concentrate in the presence of the check and training captain after his comments. The company's alleged insistence in the context of the remarks constituted bullying and victimisation, she claims.

The training manager then suggested she resign, according to the pilot, which she subsequently did.

The pilot alleged she then told the training manager that it appeared the training was designed for single men and he agreed, saying: "Yes, it is designed that way, too bad you have carer's responsibilities".

The pilot in early 2008 attended a meeting with Eastern's chief pilot and another check captain. She says in the application that when she told the pair about the events, they appeared "very concerned" and apologised on behalf of the company.

The chief pilot said her allegations would be investigated, that her position was still open and that her resignation wouldn't be considered a formal resignation.

Nine months later, she attended a further meeting at which the chief pilot told her the investigation was complete and that Eastern accepted that the captain had made the comments and that they were inappropriate and contrary to company policy.

But the pilot says during the meeting it became clear that the company didn't consider it was possible for her to return to flying, and furthermore that it had taken no action against the captain or the training manager.

A week later, she became aware that both men had been promoted within Eastern.

The pilot claims she was discriminated against on the basis of sex and family responsibilities.

Barwick Legal principal Adrian Barwick, who is representing the pilot, declined to comment on the case, but said it would be heard by Federal Magistrate Ken Raphael over three days, starting on Monday, June 7.

Qantas declined to comment on the case while it was before the court.

Source: Workplace Express