Virgin Australia workers threaten revolt over ‘poverty pay’ and conditions

Virgin Australia ground workers and cabin crew are threatening industrial action heading into one of the busiest times of the year.

Virgin Australia ground crews and flight attendants are considering industrial action over poor pay and conditions.

Virgin Australia faces the threat of industrial action from ground workers and cabin crew heading into one of the busiest times of the year.

The Transport Workers Union applied to the Fair Work Commission for a protected industrial action ballot on Monday, as the Flight Attendants Association of Australia weighed a similar move.

TWU national assistant secretary Nick McIntosh said negotiations for new enterprise agreements had stalled, and workers’ patience had run out.

“The message we’re receiving loud and clear from TWU members above and below the wing is that Virgin must correct poverty pay, insecure work and unsafe conditions, otherwise workers will have to walk away from jobs that have become unsustainable,” Mr McIntosh said.

The move to ballot workers on potential industrial action followed Virgin Australia’s first full-year profit in 11 years of $129m.

Mr McIntosh said it was unbelievable that at a time of high ­demand and soaring profits, workers were pushed to find second or third jobs to keep a roof over their heads.

“Virgin now has some of the lowest pay and conditions across the industry and is turning a deaf ear to its workers, including by failing to commit to a five-point plan for a better future,” he said.

Teri O’Toole from the Flight Attendants Association of Australia, said it was under enormous pressure from cabin crew members to follow the TWU and ballot for protected industrial action.

A Virgin Australia spokesman said they were in the process of discussing a new agreement for pit crew employees and continued to negotiate in good faith. TWU workers had been ­offered 3 per cent annual increases for each of the three years of the agreement. Staff had also been paid bonuses in the past year worth about 6.5 per cent of their salary.