The peak body for working people in Australia has called on the Morrison Government to intervene immediately to save the jobs of 16,000 Virgin workers, in light of the announcement that Deloitte has been appointed as administrator of the company.
Unless the Morrison Government acts immediately to rescue Virgin Australia, they will be responsible for the biggest airline collapse in Australia’s history.
The Morrison Government can still act now to put together a rescue plan and acquire a stake in Virgin, save 16,000 jobs, and keep two airlines flying in Australia.
If they do not take up this rescue proposal, they will instead have to use taxpayer money to pay an $800 million entitlements bill to Virgin Australia workers under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee scheme. They will also open the door to a monopolistic takeover of our skies.
Quotes attributable to ACTU President Michele O’Neil:
“If the Morrison Government does not immediately intervene, they will be responsible for the biggest airline collapse in Australia’s history.
“16,000 workers and their families have been abandoned by the Government. The Morrison Government could have chosen to save these workers’ jobs at any time over the past four weeks.
“Instead, they chose to sit by and do nothing, and watch as 16,000 jobs were pushed closer and closer to the brink of destruction.
“It is not too late. Virgin Australia can still be rescued. It must keep trading in administration, and then come out of administration with new shareholders that include the Federal Government.
“This is do or die for the Morrison Government. They can choose to save the jobs of 16,000 Virgin Australia workers, or they can choose to abandon all these workers and hand Qantas a monopoly.”
