Offering Giorgio Armani toiletries, noise-cancelling headphones and cosy first-class cabin booths, Qatar Airways have been named the world’s best airline, but life isn’t as peachy for their female staff as it is for passengers.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation alleges the airline’s policies are shockingly discriminatory, containing a clause that requires crew to immediately inform their employer if they become pregnant and to ask permission if they plan to get married. It also states that women employees should not be driven to work by any male other than a husband or family member. Qatar insists this is “a cultural norm”.
80 per cent of Qatar Airways staff are women, while 90 per cent are migrant workers.
While the marriage clause has since been adjusted, the UN’s International Labour Organisation (ILO) says the contracts still require pregnant female cabin crew to go through a recruitment process to find work on the ground. If a suitable position cannot be found, the employee could find themselves facing the sack. Any attempt to conceal a pregnancy would be deemed a breach of contract.
Ruling the policy discriminatory this week, the ILO said “The company reserves the right to automatically terminate your contract as a flying cabin crew member should you become pregnant.”
According to the ILO, Qatar should not “create or contribute to creating an intimidating working environment that could expose employees to sex-based harassment, in particular women migrant employees”.
Speaking to The Guardian, ITF president, Paddy Crumlin said:
“The changes made to the rules for staff failed to fool the ILO. Now the airline must make them for real. It’s time to make Qatar Airways free from fear.”
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