Virgin Enterprise Bargaining: Important ASU member meeting next week

You are invited to a member’s meeting on Tuesday, 28 March, to discuss Virgin Australia’s offer. We will summarise VA’s current offer compared to your current working conditions.

Your negotiating teams have made significant progress from being the airline from its initial position to the offer below. As a collective, we now must meet and consider what VA says is its ‘final offer’ and decide on the direction of your Union.

This is a members’ only meeting. Please RSVP for one of the two meetings.

If you are not a member, you can join at https://asujoin.asn.au/.

The meeting details are as follows:

Below is a summary of Virgin Australia’s offer; unless stated, it is not agreed upon by the ASU and in no way has our endorsement. The summary below does not include the changes to classification or consultation. We want to hear from you about the offer and encourage all of you to attend to express your views.

1.    Length of EA

1.1. 4-year agreement commencing June 2022 and expiring in 2026.

2.    Pay

2.1. 9% base wage increase plus an additional 1.5% linked changes in other areas: DILs, overtime payable in 48 hours, sick leave and ROS days,

2.2. Base wage proposal – YR1-3% (back paid to July 10, 2022), YR2-4%, YR3-3.5% and YR4 -3%,

2.3. A 0.5% brought forward to year 1 from year 2 is proposed to be offset by a 0.5% reduction in the 2023 potential profit share payment.

3.    Days in Lieu

3.1. Introduce a max cap of 3 accrued DILs at any time for all part-time- and Full-Time employees commencing 1st July 2024,

3.2. Any DILs accrued over the max cap of 3 will be automatically cashed out in the pay run following the DIL accrual,

3.3. All Part-Time and Full-Time employees must use or cash out current accrued DIL balances down to a maximum of 3 days by June 30, 2024, and

3.4. An amendment to the current EA, which requires that DILs be utilised DILs ahead of annual leave.

Overtime within 48 hours changes - Currently, when a part-time employee picks up a shift at -48 hours, it is paid as overtime. VA is proposing:

1. 1. All changes to any rostered shift within 72hrs of the day of work will attract a max penalty of 150% for the entire period unless exceeding the maximum ordinary hours of employment – then normal OT applied,
   2. 150% loading applies to part-time employees who voluntarily pick up additional shifts on DDOs,
   3. 200% loading applies to all required work, and
   4. On the day required shift extensions will be paid at 200%.

4.    Rosters

4.1. The current 6/3 roster for full-time employees creates a scenario when VA pays an additional 32 hours that are not worked. VA proposes:

1. Variable shift lengths over 8hrs to ensure compliance to worked hours over a 9-week cycle – time must be productive and required to cover operational duties or
2. 1 x 6hr training day every 9 weeks cover off training.

4.2. A break of 56 hours when rotating between night and morning shifts is agreed upon, or the NIL 10 penalty applies (agreed with by ASU).

4.3. If a break is not granted, it is paid out (agreed with by ASU).

5.    Full-time employment

5.1. An additional 40 full-time positions throughout the network.

6.    Workplace Flexibility*

6.1. An introduction of new part-time arrangements (this will not replace ordinary part-time but instead will be a selected smaller group) that includes:

1. A minimum of 70 hours per RP
2. Criteria are yet to be determined; however, seniority may apply and consider FWA criteria.
3. Maximum hours are 120 hours.

6.2. * We have requested that FWA’s last longer than 12 months; however, we have not received a formal response.

7.    Minimum hours

7.1. Standardised at 25 per port and regardless of tenure (agreed with by ASU).

It is important that you attend the meeting to be heard and guide the direction of your Union. You can download the bulletin here.

If you require any support or additional information, please contact your local ASU delegates or ASU organiser at:

Branch Official Contact