TWU CALLS ON NEW VIRGIN CEO TO COMMIT TO PRIORITISING DECENT JOBS AND WORKER CONSULTATION

As the largest union representing Virgin workers, the TWU will meet with Dave Emerson and call on the new Virgin CEO to work constructively with the union on good, secure jobs and respect for the workforce, amid ongoing concerns around the recently-approved Qatar stake and the possibility of an IPO into the future.

In June last year the TWU wrote to Virgin with extreme concern that Paul Jones, a key figure in Qantas’ illegal outsourcing of 1700 workers, was a contender to head the airline. After ruling out Jones as Jayne Hrdlicka’s successor, it’s critical Emerson and Bain now re-commit to an ongoing worker consultation process around the Qatar stake in the airline and other outstanding concerns.

TWU members were key during Virgin’s administration process, calling for commitments so that Virgin could retain its regional and international footprint and remain a strong second airline. Following those commitments Virgin’s regional arm VARA was announced this week as the top global regional airline for the second year.

TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said:

“Virgin workers were instrumental to getting the airline back on its feet. They’ve always had the airline’s best interests at heart and now Emerson must make it clear that workers are a priority going forward.

“An architect of Qantas’ illegal outsourcing, Paul Jones as Virgin CEO would have entrenched low morale and poor decision-making at Virgin. We’ve seen positive decisions made at Virgin around insourcing and full-time jobs and a co-operative relationship when it comes to worker consultation, in stark contrast to the Qantas model of workforce fragmentation and dismantling of good jobs.

“But we need to see more changes to address workers’ concerns and that must involve listening to the workforce and committing to decent jobs as a cornerstone of the airline.

“Our door is open for the new CEO to meet with worker representatives to establish a long-term plan for the airline that would treat skilled and experienced workers as an essential investment, and build and maintain Virgin as a strong airline into the future.”

“We need to see good, secure jobs not as an exception but as the rule in aviation. We need a Safe and Secure Skies Commission to lift standards in the industry and ensure the best outcomes for workers, communities and the travelling public.”

NOTES

• Through collective bargaining, last year Virgin ground and cabin crew workers narrowly avoided having to take strike action, succeeding in achieving substantial pay increases, more full-time jobs and hours for part-timers, and commitments to insource more directly-hired jobs.
• Pilots voted up an agreement restoring pay and conditions decimated during the airline’s administration, following assisted bargaining in the Fair Work Commission.
• In 2023 Virgin workers made a five-point claim on Bain Capital to commit to respect for workers, good, secure jobs, ongoing investment in the airline, an employee share scheme and support for industry reform.