Qantas Lays Off 850: How AI and Outsourcing Are Affecting White-Collar Workers

Qantas, one of Australia's leading airlines, has announced it will terminate 850 employees as part of a new outsourcing agreement with consulting giant Accenture. This development shows that companies in Australia are carrying out layoffs in white-collar positions through a two-stage process: first moving jobs overseas, then providing automation with artificial intelligence. This strategy paints an increasingly common and challenging picture for white-collar workers.

Qantas's outsourcing agreement with Accenture will lead the airline to gradually reduce 850 positions. Such layoffs are a frequent occurrence in Qantas's history, and given the company's track record in this regard, it was inevitable that this new agreement would also be associated with layoffs.

This two-stage process, which is becoming increasingly common in corporate Australia, works by first shifting jobs overseas through outsourcing and then providing automation with AI technologies. This model creates serious concerns regarding job security, especially for white-collar workers.