Virgin Australia ground staff seek ballot for industrial action over payment dispute

The Transport Workers’ Union sought a vote to launch industrial action against the Bain Capital-owned airline on Tuesday, alleging that Virgin Australia was not upholding its payment obligations to ground and cabin crew. According to the union, employees requested a protected action ballot from the Fair Works Commission in order to be granted the right to strike. “Ground workers have asked the Fair Work Commission to grant them a Protected Action Ballot because they can’t afford to stay in low-paid, part-time, and insecure jobs,” said Nick McIntosh, the union’s national assistant secretary, in a press release. According to a statement from the union in July, the carrier was anticipated to sign up to five promises, including an employee share plan as well as investments in technology and people to maintain safe and equitable standards. Virgin Australia announced earlier in the day that it was in negotiations for a new enterprise agreement with the ground workers. “We are in the process of negotiating a new enterprise agreement for our Pit Crew employees … continue to negotiate in good faith with our people and the Transport Workers’ Union,” a representative for Virgin Australia stated. Virgin Australia reported its first profit for the fiscal 2023 period in 11 years earlier this month, helped by a rebound in demand for travel after the COVID-19 epidemic. Reuters stated earlier this month that the airline had decided to postpone its intentions to list in Australia until 2024 after analyzing the market.

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