Things are moving very fast and changing daily. It is a stressful time for ASU members made worse by Virgin Australia’s confusing communications and unreliable clunky IT systems.
After receiving confirmation from the Company yesterday, we wrote to you about expecting to receive Stand Down notices from Virgin Australia, as well as communication about how they would allocate work for the reduced flight schedule and consider Voluntary Redundancies through separate Expression Of Interest (‘EOI’) processes.
Many members are now reporting to us their struggles to access these urgent and important communications. If you haven’t received any communication from the Company by tomorrow morning, you should contact your line manager by telephone or email.
We know it is especially difficult to negotiate Virgin Australia’s communication systems when you are not at work at the best of times. But these aren’t the best of times. We told Virgin Australia you would need to have a manager on call to help things go smoothly but it does seem to be the case that the Company hasn’t convinced their port managers to follow a consistent process for everyone.
We have asked the Company to come back to us this evening with some workable solutions and we will hold them to their promise.
Stand Down
Stand down notices are still being issued to all Ground Crew team members today. You should receive an email to your Virgin Australia email address containing a stand down notice, standing you down from 30 March to 14 June 2020. A Frequently Asked Questions (‘FAQs’) document should accompany the letter explaining e.g. how to apply for paid leave whilst on Stand Down.
The Company will be telephoning Ground Crew team members on long-term leave over the next 24 hours.
On available to work EOIs
If you want to opt-in to being allocated some of the work that will continue during the stand-down period, you will need to respond to a link in an email from your port manager sent earlier today. The Company has agreed that work will be allocated according to skill set and by a seniority process – the classifications needed with a minimum of 12 months service should be prioritised for the work. Check the Company’s FAQs document with your Stand Down notice for more information.
We are aware that many, many issues have arisen from trying to apply for work. Continue to notify the IT help desk, your duty manager and your ASU Organiser if you have problems with the application process.
Voluntary Redundancy
Your port managers have also sent emails to Guest Services team members with an EOI for a voluntary redundancy (‘a VR’). The email is very confusing and has worried a lot of Ground Crew staff who believed they were being targeted for a compulsory redundancy.
The VR EOI is the 1st step in completing consultation on necessary redundancies totalling 242 employees across all ports. If you want a VR, you should apply now regardless of how the content of the Company’s email communication has been worded. Your ASU will make sure that the process for VRs remains fair.
We will continue to discuss the process with the Company through each of the steps, as follows:
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5pm on Thursday 2 April 2020: EOI for VR closes.
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3 to 8 April: Consultation period.
If more staff than can be eligible for a VR apply, VRs will be offered to the most senior applicants first. We will also continue discussions with Virgin Australia about the possibility of job-swaps between some classifications. Once the VR process is complete and if the required number of redundant positions is not reached through the VR process, the Company will need to make some staff compulsorily redundant. We are continuing to discuss your feedback on the best proposal for taking this step and no final decisions have been made at this stage. -
Friday, 9 April 2020: planned effective date for redundancies.
What are we doing?
We appreciate there is a lot to try to understand in a short period of time – if you have any questions or queries contact your Organisers on the numbers below.
We have also prepared a guide to what government assistance is available to you - check it out on our website — asu.asn.au.
Also we know this is a very stressful time, do not hesitate to seek assistance if you need it ...organisations like Lifeline 131114 or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 are available if needed.
Remember your ASU is with you every step of the way during this very difficult time.
Virgin Australia Bulletin ASU statement on Coronavirus 270320