Yesterday you would have received an email from Virgin’s General Manager Ground Experience, Roger Lindeman, notifying you that the company will no longer grant DILs when rostered off on a public holiday that falls on a Sunday. It appears this decision is effective immediately and will impact Easter Sunday, which is only a little over 3 weeks away.
We want to make it clear that Virgin’s decision is not related to any changes in the new EBA.
While the (current and future) EBA does not provide for DILs for public holidays that fall on a Sunday there’s also nothing stopping Virgin from giving it to you, as has been the practice for many years. Your USU/ASU representatives were in no way consulted or informed of this decision throughout EBA negotiations or since.
This comes as a slap in the face for many Virgin team members who took the company at their word during EBA roadshows only a few weeks ago. Why didn’t Virgin come clean at the time if they were going to make this change?
What impact will this have?
If Virgin push ahead with this decision staff will not receive a DIL if they’re rostered off on Easter Sunday. No other public holiday is scheduled to fall on a Sunday in 2018 or 2019 (http://www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au/oirwww/NSW_public_holidays/NSW_Public_Holidays.page).
What’s happening with the new agreement?
The Fair Work Commission needs to approve the new agreement before it comes into effect. Fair Work seem to be taking an extraordinary amount of time to certify agreements at the moment. The average seems to be around 12-16 weeks for an agreement to be certified once the paperwork has been submitted to the Commission.
We will keep members informed of any updates, including notice once the EBA has been approved.
Have any questions?
If you have any questions or would like some more information please contact your delegates or Organiser, Josh Paterson on 0419 761 320 or jpaterson@usu.org.au
