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Members of the Australian Services Union (ASU) working for Virgin Australia are looking forward to a year’s backpay now that the Fair Work Commission has approved their new enterprise agreement.

The new agreement, which took force this Monday (23 July 2018) entails a pay increase and backpay.

“Your pay will increase to the new 2018 rates on Sunday 29 July (which will show up in your pay on Wednesday 15 August),” the union has told its members.

“However, you will also be paid backpay – 2.25% for the period from July 2017, and an additional 2.5% for July 2018. You will receive this backpay in your pay on Wednesday 15 August 2018.https://www.travelcounsellors.com.au/au/leisure

“Your next pay increase will be a further 2.75% on 1 July 2019.”

The deal looks like a win for the ASU, which also calls itself “the union for travel consultants” and is preparing to move on Flight Centre. See: ‘Union for travel consultants’ prepares for Flight Centre

Other aspects of the new deal with Virgin mean part-time employees are now guaranteed a minimum 25 hours a week (24 for solely international workers). This will take effect on 8 October 2018. In an unusual aspect of the new deal, ASU members will be able to access 10 days family violence leave a year.

The ASU said all other changes in the agreement would now take effect, including:

  • 105 part time employees converted to full time over the life of the agreement (ASU will be consulted on where these jobs are, and will communicate with members along the way).
  • Right to request a year career break.
  • A new National Consultative Committee where ASU representatives will be able to continue discussions on improving workplace conditions like fair use of chronologies.
  • Fairer job selection procedure.
  • Fairer annual leave approval process.
  • Access to up 10 days family violence leave a year.
  • Some changes to Personal/Carers Leave: Currently, the entitlement is 13 days in first year of employment, and 18 days in each year thereafter (includes compassionate leave and emergency leave)
  • New entitlement will be 13 days in first year of employment, and 16 days in each year thereafter. 2 days (or 3 if employees need to travel over 400km) compassionate leave per occasion, as well as 3 days of emergency leave (used for domestic emergencies employees need to attend to) will be on top.

Additionally Roster Optimisation Shift  (ROS) days will be abolished under the new agreement. This will happen from the roster cycle that starts on 8 October 2018. Instead of working ROS days, full time employees will work one eight-hour-50 minute shift each six-day cycle.

Written by Peter Needham