STANDING UNITED @ VIRGIN AUSTRALIA

Many thanks to Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, Matt Thistlethwaite MP Kingsford Smith, Tony Burke MP Watson, and Senator Tony Sheldon and especially the proud USU delegates Laurence Parissakis, Tara Stewart and Karen Oviedo with members at Virgin Australia for the support today in sending a message live from terminal 2 to the Australian Prime minister Scott Morrison to SAVE VIRGIN AUSTRALIA.

As Albo said, we’re all standing shoulder to shoulder, 1.5 metres apart!

Also: Virgin members stand united gallery below.

The government speaks of almighty competition when they want to walk away from transport, like trains and buses and ferries. They say this brings in healthy competition. But this time it’s a rescue package that’s needed to SAVE competition in our airlines. Without Virgin it will be a virtual monopoly.

They say with Covid-19 we’re all in this together.

But we know that if Virgin workers are left alone, if the government isn’t in this together with us, it’s our country that will suffer.

We think of the tens of thousands of Australian workers who rely on Virgin to keep their jobs, in airlines, suppliers, and tourism.

If we don’t have effective competition not only will this put a stranglehold on our travel industry and economy, we will cause massive economic hardship for Australian workers and their families. The economic impact, social and psychological impact of the Ansett collapse due to government inaction was enormous and lasted for years.

Don’t let this happen to Virgin. We love the great work you do and the great service you provide. It’s no fault of the staff that we are hurting due to a global pandemic. It’s not the workers who are to blame but it is our government’s responsibility to step in with a rescue package.

Thanks to everyone for joining in and waving your USU banners proudly today. It’s thanks to the members that we have the political clout to get the big names calling for a rescue package to save Virgin.

So help the campaign, get on Twitter, record a video and tell the prime minister to SAVE VIRGIN.