TWU WILL RALLY AGAINST RUTHLESS ALPHA FLIGHT SERVICES JOB CUTS

TWU (VIC/TAS BRANCH) Secretary John Berger has told distressed members that the union will fight tooth-and-nail for their jobs after Alpha Flight Services told staff this week that it will be ruthlessly sacking hundreds of full-time workers.

Non-TWU members were later made aware of the union’s hardline stance – and the unwavering solidarity among members – and received the message loud and clear that the union was going to stick up for them and their families and signed-up on the spot.

The union is further outraged that the company (which was recently sold to global air services giant dnata catering which was founded in Dubai and part of the Emirates Group) attempted to intimidate workers in announcing that full-time staff will be the first to be made redundant but casuals retained.

The in-flight catering and retail services company blamed the redundancies on its unsuccessful bid to retain the nationwide Virgin Australia catering services contract.

John said there was no justification for full-time workers to be made redundant – some of whom have been with the company for many years – when casuals will be retained to do the same work.

The company will also continue to use its labour hire resources.

The TWU will hold a national meeting next week to formulate an action plan and to demand answers from the company as to why full-time workers will bear the brunt.

It will be particularly drilling into why the company cannot retain full-time workers and call on its casual labour hire resources when needed.

John and TWU Senior Aviation Organiser Dissio Markos spoke with members today at the company’s Tullamarine base.

The company currently employees over 400 people on a full-time basis and over 100 casual staff in Melbourne alone and about 1600 nationally.

The TWU will provide updates to members as soon as they come to hand. STRONGER – TOGETHER.

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