The Fair Work Commission will not let Aerocare low ball its workers.

The commission has rejected the airline service company’s enterprise agreement as unfair and unsatisfactory.

Media reports recently revealed some Aerocare workers had been sleeping at work in conditions they described as “third world”.

Employee fatigue and poor working conditions have been linked to a number of potentially fatal mistakes, including one worker being accidentally trapped in the cargo hold of a 737.

Aerocare provides safety checks and ground handling services to airlines such as Qantas, Jetstar, Singapore airlines and Virgin, and describes itself as
“Australia's most trusted outsourced flight support organisation”.

The company has rejected all claims levelled in the damning reports.

When it announced a new workplace agreement in April, the company said: “We look forward to the agreement being approved by the Fair Work Commission”.

That agreement has now been thrown out.

The FWC found Aerocare failed the ‘Better Off Overall Test’ in its split shift and overtime arrangements, as well as weekend and public holiday payments.

Aerocare said its “submission was approved by an overwhelming 83 per cent of our employees, making it one of the most popular EBAs in the industry”.

But the FWC decision stated “the group of employees to be covered by the 2017 Agreement was not fairly chosen, due to the exclusion of casual employees”.

Aerocare responded, saying: “Whilst we don't agree with some of the FWC's interpretations, we respect the process and will work with Commission to find a satisfactory outcome in the best interests of our employees”.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) said: “Aerocare is leading the charge in the race-to-the bottom in aviation — and they are using the industrial relations route to game the system and make it legal to pay people poverty-line wages”.

“At the top of this supply chain are wealthy airlines and airports reaping the benefits of this exploitation,” the TWU’s Tony Sheldon told the ABC.

“The Federal Government is supporting companies like Aerocare whose actions are not only hurting their employees but also dragging the economy down through low wage growth.

“The TWU stands ready to re-enter negotiations on an agreement that provides Aerocare employees with pay and conditions that allow them to support their families.

“If Aerocare is not interested in this the Federal Government needs to hold them and the airlines and airports to account.”

Aerocare has 21 days to appeal the decision.