The ASU National Negotiating Team were back at the bargaining table on Friday 24th May 2013 together with the Pit Crew union negotiators to restart negotiations for a replacement Ground Staff Agreement.
What happened?
Your NNT stressed to the company representatives that we wanted to program as many meetings as soon as possible to try and resolve our differences.
The company seemed to understand the need to work on this quickly but made no promises about being able to resolve our differences.
Company survey out
Remarkably the company has issued a "survey" to team members about what is important to you. In many ways the communication about the survey is pretty insulting as it suggests that team members did not really understand the company's offer.
Your NNT know that this is not true – the trouble for the company reps is that YOU DID UNDERSTAND the offer and it was just not good enough.
The survey is pretty poorly constructed – designed to get you to agree with the company.
It is up to you if you want to fill in the company survey but rest assured your ASU NNT know what is important – here is what we are focusing on:
- Better pay rise.
- Recognition of the contribution of long term staff.
- Recognition of our skills and industry standards.
- Inclusion of Trainers and Team leaders in the agreement.
- Part-time provisions with a trigger for conversion to full-time.
- Better higher duties provisions.
- Contractor rates.
- Job security in particular priority of work to Virgin staff.
- Better allowances.
- Improved rostering.
- Recognition of the increased work complexity as a result of SABRE.
- Better and improved consultation process.
If you don't fill in the survey just tell the company it is time to listen and talk to your union – the ASU.
The Pit Crew union are also doing a survey of their members – we don't recommend completing it.
What's next?
We have tentatively booked in the following dates for meetings with the company, we are just waiting for confirmation from the company representatives availability. These are the tentative dates: 3rd June, 28th June, 8th July, 22nd July.
Need more information?
For more information please contact your local Organisers [download the full bulletin below for contact information]
Download the full Virgin Australia Bulletin #18 - 28 May 2013