Virgin Australia stands down hundreds of ground crew across the country

The airline says the pandemic has left the industry with virtually no work, with its crew stood down for three weeks without pay.

Virgin staff have been stood down for three weeks without pay. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Virgin Australia says “a majority” of full time ground crew are working close to their normal hours, despite the Transport Workers Union filing a dispute with the Fair Work Commission over a stand down letter from the airline to all relevant staff last week.

Pitt crew were sent the letter via email on March 25 from Aircraft Maintenance and Ramp Services head, Job VandenHeuval which said: “we give notice to stand you down from 29 March to 18 April 2021, unless advised otherwise”.

“You will be stood down, and not required to work your usual hours. Any hours that you are required to work will be notified to you in your roster,” the email read.

“The stand down direction is because of a limitation on the availability of work caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which means that you cannot be employed for your normal days/hours of work.

“During the stand down, you remain employed but are not required to attend work for the hours you are stood down, and you will not be paid for those hours.”

The Transport Workers Union has filed a dispute with the Fair Work Commission over the letter – which they said affected 804 workers – and blamed the end of JobKeeper for the decision.

“The federal government’s decision to cut off JobKeeper has resulted in Virgin workers being stood down from their jobs,” TWU secretary Michael Kaine said.

“This disastrous move by Scott Morrison means domestic aviation workers have been cut adrift and Virgin workers are now worried sick about how they will pay their bills and feed their families,” he said.

But a Virgin Australia spokeswoman said before border restrictions imposed by “some states this week”, it was their intention to have all ground staff return to work in their pre-COVID capacity.

“Virgin Australia is aware that the Transport Workers Union (TWU) has filed a dispute with the Fair Work Commission (FWC) in relation to approximately 170 of its ground staff,” she said.

“The majority of ground staff affected are currently working close to their full normal hours. None are fully stood down.”

The TWU claimed Virgin Australia had breached its enterprise bargaining agreement because it failed to consult with the union about the stand down.

In its application to the FWC, the union said Virgin Australia refused to reverse the decision to stand down all pitt crew employees, which include baggage handlers, ramp workers and pushback drivers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

In an earlier email from Mr VandenHeuval sent on March 25 – addressed to “pit crew EA team members” and tendered in the FWC application – he said the “current stand down notice … applied until 28 March 2021 which was aligned to the end of JobKeeper scheme”.

“ … with the continued impact to our business relating to COVID-19, we will need to extend the Stand Down period until the end of RP4 18 April 2021,” he said.

“The Stand Down is being extended because at this time, we are still unable to provide all Team Members with their full normal hours of work.”

Staff could be required to work if there are any flights, and have been told to “check” rosters “in accordance with normal procedure”.