Your ASU National Negotiating Team (NNT) has now had five meetings with Jetstar about our new Agreement and unfortunately we feel like we are marking time and getting nowhere. At our last meeting on 28th November, 2013, we told Jetstar it was time to take our claims seriously and we have said to Management it is time to bring negotiators to the table who can talk seriously to us about what you want in the Agreement.
No one wants these negotiations to drag on unnecessarily. If we can't agree on what should be in the new EBA then ASU members need to start looking at our options about how we can persuade Management to agree to our claims.
Excess baggage commission
As members know, one of our claims is to include Excess Baggage Commission in the EBA. We want this because over the years Jetstar has changed what is in and what is out of the calculations for the commission and we have also seen the amounts paid fluctuate considerably mostly because Jetstar decides unilaterally to put some items in and then take them out.
Recently we became aware that Jetstar had not been including BAGU (Baggage Upgrades at the airport) as part of the excess baggage commission. This apparently had been happening for some time although Jetstar won't say exactly from when and also Jetstar decided not to tell staff, presumably because they knew it would make everyone very angry. Then again, who wouldn't be angry if your employer decides to cut your wages without telling you!
You may have noticed that the company recently sent out a notice saying that BAGU commission has been reinstated as an incentive for December – this is just an example of how Jetstar can manipulate this commission without your agreement.
We think firming up the rules is important and we keep telling the company this.
Watch this space for more information.
Bonus payments & tax issues
At our last EBA meeting we also raised concerns about the way the recent bonus awarded to CSOs was calculated and taxed, which made no sense. Jetstar committed to respond to our issues at our next meeting.
Our next meeting
Our next EBA meeting is on the 11th December, 2013 – hopefully Jetstar will come prepared to negotiate!
Need more information?
Get in touch with your local ASU organiser or delegate [download the full bulletin below for details].
Jetstar EBA 5 Bulletin - 4 December 2013