Virgin Australia in talks to hold off cabin crew strike

The Transport Workers Union and Virgin Australia will meet on Friday in a bid to avert industrial action during the busy Christmas holiday period.

The Transport Workers Union and Virgin Australia will meet on Friday in a bid to avert industrial action during the busy Christmas holiday period.

The Fair Work Commission will oversee talks to resolve the dispute, which has been bubbling away for over a year.

The TWU protected-action ballot closed on Monday, with 99 per cent of participating Virgin cabin crew voting in favour of industrial action unless an agreement can be reached to improve pay, job security and work-life balance.

There was a 90 per cent participation rate, with 99 per cent voting yes to 24-hour stoppages. The average across all possible actions, including shorter stoppages and overtime bans, was 98 per cent in favour.

The result meant cabin crew have obtained rights under the Fair Work Act to take protected industrial action, pending a three-day notification to Virgin Australia.

The airline is owned by US investment firm Bain Capital, which bought it in August 2020 when it was in administration.

TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said it was now “crunch time”.

“Nobody wants protected industrial action as we approach the holiday season, which is why workers have given Virgin every opportunity to come to the table with a fair resolution,” he said.

“After six months of negotiations and over a year of voicing their concerns, cabin crew are still waiting for a reasonable response to key issues like fatiguing rosters, long hours, and correcting seniority levels that fell away during pandemic emergency settings.

“A 99 per cent vote for action is a clear sign from exhausted crew that they will not accept more of the same punishing rosters, lack of work-life balance and poverty pay after years of wage freezes and cuts to conditions. Workers fell below legal minimum rates two years’ running, with workers reporting juggling second jobs to pay the bills.”

There is speculation that the long negotiations stem from Bain Capital preparing for the carrier to be relisted on the ASX, amid fears of a blowout in costs.

Virgin’s pilots will enter a new round of negotiations next week – their sixth meeting since ­September.

On Monday, Virgin acknowledged cost-of-living pressures and said it had put a substantial offer on the table that provided real relief valued at $50m over three years. It included base salary increases of at least 15 per cent, and for some the base salary would be up to 32 per cent above award minimum rates, the airline said.

The TWU said Virgin had refused to provide the full results of a staff morale survey to cabin crew, but admitted satisfaction with working conditions and pay received one of the lowest scores, while work satisfaction would reportedly improve with work-life balance improvements to rosters and leave processes.

Up to 2000 cabin crew have asked to the airline to reduce the length of shifts and the time spent on unpaid “standby”.

They have also called for an extra day off each rostering period and an increase in flying and travel allowances to compensate for being away from home.

The TWU said the changes would restore work-life balance after three difficult years of wage freezes and punishing rosters, which helped Virgin roar back to profit.

Mr Kaine said the ball was in Virgin’s court and called for the carrier to make a reasonable response to workers demands.

“Virgin must come to the bargaining table today with a fair enterprise agreement offer that recognises the work cabin crew have done to get the company back into the skies and back to $129m profit,” he said.

“Virgin is flying high now, it’s time to provide sustainable jobs and work-life balance.”

Originally published as Virgin Australia in talks to hold off cabin crew strike