The ASU is fighting Virgin Australia’s decision to reduce average fortnightly hours of work for any parent who seeks flexible working arrangements in the Fair Work Commission.
Under the company’s proposal, Virgin Australia is trying to reduce the provision to work a minimum of 50 hours per fortnight in your agreement unless the employee elects to reduce those hours. Under these proposals they are only offering a meagre 15 hours guaranteed each week.
Individual Flexibility Arrangements
Your Agreement also provides that workers’ must be better off overall when negotiating changed or flexible working conditions.
Virgin Australia’s new policy that applies to employees with family or caring responsibilities, such as women with children or employees who care for elderly parents, simply removes the safeguards in your Agreement that ensure employees are not disadvantaged when requesting flexibility arrangements.
Virgin Australia claims its policy is the best it can do. However, we find this difficult to believe when other Airlines often find ways to accommodate their employees and ensure work life balance.
The Virgin Australia policy allows the Company to put pressure on workers and trade off minimum conditions in exchange for flexible hours to meet their caring responsibilities.
The ASU has lodged a dispute in the Fair Work Commission in response to the Virgin Australia policy and will fight against the proposal.
Join with your colleagues to demand respect at work by joining the ASU here: www.asu.asn.au/asujoin..
If you have any questions speak with your local ASU representatives Download the full bulletin here). 
Virgin Australia Bulletin # 25 - 26 February 2019