Following the recent updates on Virgin providing backpay of salary and productivity above 65 hours prior to the approval of the new EA, the AFAP have clarified a key point from yesterday’s Chief Pilot comms.
In those communications it stated payments for working on a designated day off, annual leave day, blank day or offline day during RP11 (and until the commencement date) would be paid at the current rates.
The AFAP had confirmed with Virgin prior to the yes vote that backpay would include applying the new productivity rate to draft payments from 30 September.
The Chief Pilot has now confirmed this in communications to pilots, with backpay to top up drafts (paid to pilots at the current rate today) to the new productivity rate to occur in the coming weeks. We will advise once a date has been agreed for the backpay of the draft payments.
It is important to note that as the EA24 is still before the Fair Work Commission (FWC) for approval, no entitlement to backpay has arisen. Therefore, Virgin does not yet have an obligation to backpay this or any other entitlement.
We will continue to keep members informed as we move through the Fair Work Commission process for approval of the new EA. We note that the timeline for approval is at the discretion of the FWC and subject to its resources.
Questions
For any general inquiries regarding this update or other matters at Virgin please contact the elected representatives directly, or AFAP legal industrial team of Senior Legal/ Industrial Officer Pat Larkins (
patrick@afap.org.au) and AFAP Senior Legal/ Industrial Officer Deanna Cain (
deanna@afap.org.au), or alternatively post on the AFAP Forum (
https://afapvpf.discussioncommunity.com), or email
virginNBEBA@afap.org.au should you have any questions or feedback regarding EA negotiations.
Regards,
AFAP 2024 EA Negotiating Team
First Officer Steve Hungerford – Chair
Captain Ben Raby
Captain Brad Wilson
Captain Mark Bannister