Pubdate: Mon, 09 May 2016
Source: Daily Mail (UK)
Copyright: 2016 Associated Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/108
Author: Daniel Peters and Jennifer Smith For Daily Mail Australia

CRITICAL AIRLINE STAFF TEST POSITIVE FOR COCAINE, CANNABIS AND
METHAMPHETAMINE ON THE JOB - AS A QANTAS PILOT WAS SACKED FOR GROPING
A COLLEAGUE WHILE 'HIGH ON WEED'

A number of critical airline staff have tested positive for hardcore
drugs and alcohol while on the job, leaving passengers concerned about
the protocols in place to keep them safe in the air.

At least 14 Australian airline and airport employees operating in
'safety sensitive' roles came to work affected by alcohol and drugs in
2015, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Three ground staff were found with traces of cannabis and
methamphetamine in their system, an engineer tested positive for
cocaine and a student pilot tested positive for cannabis.

Nine other workers - including an aircraft engineer, four cabin crew
and three ground staff - all failed alcohol tests

'It is disappointing a few people are being detected carrying out
aviation duties while affected by alcohol or drugs, and the testing
program aims to identify these people,' a Civil Aviation Safety
Authority spokesman told the Daily Telegraph.

'Everyone in aviation must understand they cannot perform aviation
safety sensitive duties while affected by alcohol or drugs.'

Just last week it was revealed that a Qantas pilot was sacked after
groping the breast of a female colleague while high on cannabis during
a stopover in 2014.

Steven Gregory claimed he was wrongfully terminated by the airline
after losing his job following the incident in Santiago, Chile, but
lost an appeal to ever fly again.

The 54-year-old claimed that his drink had been spiked when he groped
the breast of a female colleague in the back of a taxi, denying
responsibility for sexually harassing her.

His claim was dismissed at a tribunal last year but he appealed the
decision, alleging there was a lack of evidence.

It was quashed again on Tuesday by the Fair Work Commission which
maintained he was not the victim of spiking.

In 2014 Gregory and the rest of his crew were staying in Santiago for
a two-night stopover when he ventured out one evening with some co-workers.

Among them was the plane's captain, his superior, the woman and
another male colleague

The group enjoyed a bottle of rum at his hotel before venturing out to
an Irish pub where Gregory separated himself from the others for
around 30 minutes.

On their way back to the hotel, Gregory groped the woman's breast
while they were travelling in a taxi.

Upon questioning by the airline over the incident, he said he could
not recall portions of the evening and suggested that his drink had
been spiked.

On Tuesday his claim was thrown out as the Fair Work Commission upheld
Commissioner Ian Cambridge's 2015 ruling that 'he was not the victim
of drink spiking.'

'We refuse permission to appeal. The appellant has not identified an
error in the decision within or other grounds for granting permission
to appeal.

'The Commissioner did not act on a wrong principle, allow extraneous
or irrelevant matters to guide him, and did not mistake the facts let
alone make a significant error of fact.'
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D