MELBOURNE: An Australian labour tribunal early on Monday ordered Qantas Airways and its unions to immediately terminate all industrial action and return to the negotiating table in an effort to resolve a prolonged and bitter industrial dispute.
Fair Work Australia, an independent industrial umpire, was appointed by the government on Saturday after Qantas grounded its entire global fleet, affecting almost 500 flights and more than 68,000 passengers by Sunday afternoon.
Qantas and the three unions now have 21 days to reach an agreement or face binding arbitration, the tribunal said.
Earlier, Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce said there were no guarantees the airline would resume flying unless the three-person tribunal ordered all industrial action terminated, rather than suspended, to ensure the company and passengers had sufficient certainty.
Unions had been pushing for industrial action to be suspended for between 90 and 120 days.
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