Virgin Australia has put out a ‘final offer’ to employees and several items that are not agreed upon by the USU/ASU. As VA claims this is it’s “final offer”, we have met with members to discuss the proposal and our next steps.

There are a number of improvements in VA’s offer, including new full-time employees and improvements to NIL 72 in the proposed enterprise agreement; however, the uncertain items make other items clear as mud.

Members have raised a number of concerns over VA’s offer, and we want to hear more from you! If you have not attended one of our meetings, our next member meeting is:

Date: Friday 31 March

Time: 1 pm NSW

Register via Zoom here: VA EA Update Zoom Meeting

With Virgin’s final offer being clear as mud, the Airline’s final offer fails the test. You need certainty when you are being asked to vote on an enterprise agreement– you must know what your new working conditions will look like if you vote yes. We want to make sure as much as possible is locked in. We have concerns related to the Airline’s proposal, which include the following:

  1. New Part-time model
    1. VA has proposed to the USU/ASU a maximum amount of hours of 120 per RP, yet to employees, it has a maximum of 80 hours. What is? It makes a difference! It is a max of 120 hours or a max of 80 hours.
    2. What is the criteria to be eligible for the new part-time role?
  2. Roster Patterns – VA proposes to consult on a roster pattern for part-time employees, but what will it include?
  3. 6/3 roster pattern inefficiencies for full-time employers – under the current 6/3 roster pattern, it creates 32 hours where employees are paid but not worked. VA proposes consulting on training programs to have the extra hours worked. Unanswered questions include how does this interact with overtime or single rate extensions? Will it be an additional shift?
  4. Virgin’s recent proposal of a 4-year agreement! Signing up for a longer EA with below-inflation pay rises could lock employees in unfair pay increases.

There remain outstanding items, such as improving FWAs and Job Share arrangements. We want to ensure they last longer and provide more certainty to employees.

We have written to the Airline and indicated we must resolve all outstanding issues, and if it proceeds to a ballot and asks employees to vote on a new enterprise agreement without the USU/ASU members’ support, we will run a no campaign.

If you require any support or additional information, please contact your local USU/ASU delegates or USU/ASU organiser Thomas Russell on trussell@usu.org.au  or 0419 761 320