DJTibby - We can only fight as one if we are all members of the union. Crew need to be members of the union before they can take protected industrial action.
It really is a matter of achieving a strong union membership in order to protect our current conditions. How did the old Qantas flight attendants achieve such good working conditions and how did they manage to maintain them while every other airline in Australia, including their own, was paying their crew increasingly less? They had a strong union membership at above 90% of crew which meant the company listened when the union negotiated on behalf of its members and even though times have changed, the union has managed to protect their conditions without bargaining away too much.
During our first EBA negotiation, many crew believed the union was working for Virgin Blue. However, during this time union membership amongst
VB cabin crew was still only around 50-60%. The harsh reality is that
VB did allow the union to bargain as a token gesture but didn't really listen to their requests as it only represented half of the workforce. The result was a less than desirable EBA proposal that 89% of us voted against but we only have ourselves to blame. Had the union been able to say that they represent 90-95% of cabin crew at
VB during the bargaining process, then the published proposal would have been much different than what we voted on.
It seems things have only gone backwards since then with the company
completely locking-out the union from the negotiation process for both of the last two EBAs that were voted down.
Remember the biased surveys after the EBAs were voted down? Questions such as, 'Would you prefer an 11 hour day or a 12 hour day?' These questions were designed to elicit data that could be used against us. Where was the option to choose
NEITHER?
VB will argue that the survey results indicate we wanted 11 hour days and were given 11 hour days in the EBA proposal but we still voted against it. We need qualified industrial officers fighting for
ALL of us during these hearings, not just half of us.
We've all heard the talk about reducing the crew complement further on both the Boeing and E-Jet and we are all dropping our bags off before sign-on according to the new procedure that aims at reducing our sign-on time to 45 minutes. These are just two of the strategies that are in the pipeline that may be forced upon us without the opportunity to object. Imagine how many others there are that may be implemented to gain extra duty time to roster in more flights during our days at work. We are in the dark as there is no transparency in the bargaining process or in regards to the plans management have for cabin crew.
Now is the time for every crew member that is concerned about protecting their working conditions to unite as one voice and join the FAAA and allow them to bargain on our behalf. By increasing the membership amongst
VB cabin crew from half of us to over 90% of us, we would stand a much better chance at achieving a more desirable bargaining outcome.
However, if you just want to complain about being hard done by for the next several years, then don't join the union but bear in mind, you will only have yourself to blame for whatever comes next.
Below is the latest FAAA Newsletter:
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7 August 2009
VB 33-09
To: All Virgin Blue Cabin Crew
CABIN CREW AGREEMENT UPDATE
Bargaining for a replacement agreement
Following the recent ballot result, the Association has considered its position in relation to a bargaining for replacement agreement. As your bargaining representative, we have outstanding concerns as to whether Virgin Blue
Management have met their good faith bargaining requirements. We wrote to Management earlier this week seeking further negotiation meetings and full
disclosure of costings and fatigue data, with a view to reaching and making an agreement with Cabin Crew.
Should Virgin Blue not respond to our correspondence and alleviate our concerns by mid next week, then we will once again seek the assistance of Fair Work Australia. We will keep Crew updated in relation to this very important matter.
Existing agreement
On 28 July 2009, prior to the ballot results for the company’s second proposal being announced, the Association was served with an Application for Termination of the existing Certified Agreement, the Virgin Blue Cabin Crew and Flight Attendants’ Association of Australia Agreement II 2002-2005.
On Monday 17 August 2009, the framework and timeline for these proceedings will be discussed and formalised by Fair Work Australia. We will advise Crew of the key dates in relation to this very important matter, once directed by Fair Work Australia.
This newsletter was written by Carolyn Summers, Industrial Officer and authorised by John Playford, Manager Industrial Relations