Manufacturer Requests Exclusion Of Certain Nationalities At Australian Ops

Boeing has ruffled a few Australian feathers by requesting the Queensland Anti-Discrimination tribunal for renewal of an exemption permitting the exclusion of certain nationalities from employment in compliance with US security regulations.

Apparently misread as racial discrimination, Boeing's request has drawn criticism from Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Susan Booth, stating that excluding people from employment based on race was clearly prohibited by the law, Queensland's Courier Mail reported.

"It's not being done on a reasonable suspicion of individual behavior -- it's racial discrimination. I think the law is pretty plain," Booth said. "We don't believe the exemptions should be granted and we have made our objections known."

With operations in 70 countries worldwide, Boeing is required to meet hiring restrictions that pertain to employees of different nationalities working on US military equipment.

Imposed by the US government after the 9/11 attacks, security policies bar workers from Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Burma, China, Liberia, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Lebanon, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Somalia.

The exemption requested by Boeing Australia Holdings and three associated companies allows pre-employment screening questions about potential employees' nationalities and discrimination based on nationality.

Boeing spokesman Ken Moreton said, "We would not be doing this unless we absolutely had to. It's a question of complying and getting the work or not complying and not getting the work."

Other Queensland aerospace firms have also been granted similar exemptions by the tribunal, including Raytheon Australia, the Mail said.

A hearing before the tribunal is scheduled for December 18.

FMI: www.boeing.com, www.adcq.qld.gov.au