That was the verdict of Australia's top court on Wednesday (September 13).
It says the country's flagship airline acted illegally when it let go 1,700 staff and replaced them with contractors early on in the global health crisis.
The High Court said Qantas deliberately "sought to thwart" the right of unionised employees to hold industrial action and bargain collectively.
The ruling is likely to stoke public anger at the airline following a series of controversies.
Qantas has recently faced a lawsuit accusing it of selling tickets for flights it knew had been cancelled.
It is also accused of working to block an application by Qatar Airways to offer more flights to Australia.
That removed competition that might have lowered fares.
Earlier this month, long-serving CEO Alan Joyce stood down early, saying the airline needed a process of renewal.
Unions have now welcomed Wednesday's court ruling.
They are calling on the airline to expedite compensation payments for affected workers.
In a statement, Qantas said it accepted the ruling, and had already made provision for penalties and compensation.
The company posted a record annual profit last month as strong demand for travel pushed up fares.
