What are the main issues of concern?? What do the company want?? What do the crew want?? Have just had my reference cheked, really keen to join Virgin but would like to know what changes if any are in the pipeline..
Management has said that it is operationally necessary for cabin crew to be rostered 12 hour duties. The reason behind this and why the present 9hr 45m day is insufficient (12 hrs with a 5th paxing sector) is a little obscure. Informing crew of the reason behind the necessity would assist in working through the implementation of appropriate measures that ensure 12 hour days aren't rostered repeatedly and that increased rest after such duties is guaranteed.
Under the EBA that was voted down, crew could have been rostered 5 consecutive 12hr duties with only 12 hrs rest in between before being given a day off. This is a worst case scenario but this is what crew need to be aware of in order to protect themselves from excessively long duties, tiredness and fatigue.
I would like to see more transparency in the EBA negotiation process. It seems that even as a union member, my working conditions rest on the shoulders of a small group of people who clearly didn't listen to what crew wanted the first time around
