Last week, USU members took protected industrial action across the network.

The action worked. Jetstar called an urgent bargaining meeting and shifted on the proposed classification wage increases; however, the Company has backtracked on the substantive wage offer payable to all employees.

While the USU successfully pushed Jetstar to bring forward classification progression to 1 October 2026, the Company advised its previous pay increase would not be payable on your current rate of pay, meaning workers would only be guaranteed a 2.1% increase on your current payrates.

Bringing the increments forward is an improvement. But no worker should be expected to accept a wage outcome worth just 2.1% more than your current rate of pay. Workers are worth more than 2.1%.

Industrial Action Escalates

Because Jetstar has failed to put a fair offer on the table and is only offering a 2.1% increase this year, the USU has notified an escalation of protected industrial action.

Friday 2 October 2026

Members may participate in:

A ban on making announcements, other than announcements relating to safety or welfare.

1. A ban on phoning passengers, other than calls relating to safety or
2. Always ticking the headcount box when completing the boarding gate
3. A delay in printing the Boarded Zone Report or “Finals” report at -10 minutes, with those

reports instead only being printed between 5 and 9 minutes before flight close.

4. A ban on pre-positioning, holding and auto-boarding
5. A ban on performing disruption management duties, including but not limited to making announcements in relation to delayed flights, rebooking flights, distributing refreshment vouchers, assisting passengers in queues to use the Jetstar website or app, and other associated tasks. This ban does not apply to tasks relating to unaccompanied minors.
6. A ban on performing flight cancellation management duties, including but not limited to making announcements in relation to cancelled flights, rebooking flights, distributing refreshment vouchers, assisting passengers in queues to use the Jetstar website or app, initiating and arranging accommodation, advising passengers of accommodation arrangements and hotel transfer details, and other associated tasks. This ban does not apply to tasks relating to unaccompanied minors.

One-Hour Stop Work Stoppages

Fee Waiving Action in time for the NRL Grand Final and more school holidays

From 12:01 am Friday 2 October until 11:59 pm Sunday 4 October, members at airport locations may process eligible transactions with fees recorded as $0, including:

1. Excess baggage charges
2. Seat change fees
3. Late fees
4. Other eligible sales-related transactions

You do not need to tell Jetstar in advance that you are participating.

Members are not required to tell Jetstar beforehand whether they will participate in protected industrial action.

If Jetstar is asking who intends to participate before the action occurs, it is because the company wants to reduce the impact of the action and put contingency arrangements in place.

The strength of industrial action comes from workers acting together.