Helen Mair has been called her fair share of names throughout a decades-long career as an airline worker and union delegate.
“There was the time when we were followed through the airport by a manager, who called us a ‘disgrace’,” she recalls.
“Oh, and we were called ‘wussy’ on radio over our 1990s campaign for cold weather shields on the entrance doors to protect the 30-odd staff at the check-in counters from being buffered all day by the wind and cold.
“We won in the end, and it made an enormous difference to the environment for our workers and the broader self-esteem of our members.”
Ms Mair started her career as a flight attendant with Ansett in 1970 and later joined Qantas in 1977, working her way through the ranks after commencing in a customer service role. She has always been a union member and delegate: first with the flight attendants’ union and, more recently, with the Australian Services Union.
“I decided to be active in the union early on because I recognised that that there was power in numbers,” she said.
“Why not work for the good of all?
“One of the highlights for me was joining the Work Choices rally in the city – just looking around at everyone was so inspirational.
“As a union, we’ve certainly had some game-changing wins.”
Ms Mair, now 72, retired from Qantas in 2020 after being offered a redundancy when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
She is now keeping busy in a “very rewarding role” as a support person for a recent kidney transplant recipient.
