Union files grievance with Virgin Atlantic

Unite the Union has filed a grievance with Virgin Atlantic Airlines.  The cause for the complaint stems from a recent decision by Virginia Atlantic to decrease the rest period allowed for the cabin crew during long distance flights.  Unite feels that Virgin Atlantic staff was not consulted about the decrease of rest periods before they were put into effect.

An officer with Unite the Union, Brian Boyd, said “We believe these changes have been made without any consultation with the union.  Virgin’s cabin crew do a great job but they need decent rest periods.  We believe these changes will lead to undue fatigue for our members which will reflect on the levels of service they provide to customers.  It’s unusual for us to have a grievance with Virgin Atlantic, but these changes have really not gone down well with staff.”

Virgin Atlantic claims it did consult with the union before the decision was made.  A spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic said “The CAA governs the decisions we take on crew rosters and the airline always fully complies with, and often exceeds, all its regulations. We regularly consult with the union on a range of topics which includes cabin crew rosters and this instance has been no different.”

Cabin crew members are not happy with the new policy.  One person said “Everyone is very upset. Safety should be paramount in aviation but these changes will lead to more fatigue.  Passengers might think that the job of a cabin crew member is just giving out food but there is a lot more to it than that.”

In response the spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic noted that “Safety is Virgin Atlantic’s highest priority and we would never compromise on issues of safety.”

www.virgin-atlantic.com

www.amicustheunion.org