ASU members have contacted us about advice from the Company sent this morning, to all Group employees.
The ASU has not received any notification from the Company about stand-downs. Stand-downs are not available under your Enterprise Agreement (‘the EBA’). In general, the ASU does not endorse unpaid stand-downs as a measure to address reduced flight demand and believes many other avenues are open to the business for discussion.
The ASU has also had a number of informal discussions with key Workplace Relations team members over the last week about what analysis the business needs to be considering to address the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak impact on demand for flights. We have requested information from the Company on the following to ensure productive and informed discussions, including the following items:
- Confirmation of the initial period of time Virgin Australia anticipates staff will be impacted by the current flight capacity reductions.
- Analysis of flight demand reductions across the Virgin Australia network.
- Analysis of any additional leave lines and single day absences available, broken down by classification and location.
- Weekly consultation with the ASU, TWU and delegates to consider appropriate measures in response to flight capacity and demand reductions.
- As well as, details of planned domestic flight schedule changes announced 13 March 2020.
Weekly consultation meetings with decision makers
The conditions of your agreement oblige the business to consult with us about any other measures they intend to explore before any decisions are made. The ASU has notified Virgin Australia of its consultation obligations in your EBA.
We have also has sought to commence joint Union weekly briefings with Company decision makers and for those meetings to include your local workplace delegates.
The date of the first meeting is not fixed but we have requested meetings commence on Wednesday, 18 March 2020. If we cannot secure this we will have to seek the intervention of the independent umpire – the Fair Work Commission.
Speak with your ASU Organiser of local workplace delegates about your concerns
If you wish to raise concerns about work you can always talk more with your Union delegate, your Union organiser or contact your branch.
Virgin Australia Bulletin ASU statement on Coronavirus 120320