From its inception, VB invited union involvement. In doing so it attempted to
legitimize the employment contracts it was offering to employees; foster trust
between the airline, employees, and their unions; and avoid union recognition
conflicts that may have arisen if union representation had been denied. Unlike Qantas,
VB limits its industrial relationships to three unions. It wanted to deal with unions that
would support flexible work practices and broader job classifications and would not
seek to enforce the occupational demarcations that prevail in legacy carriers.
Consequently, the Flight Attendants' Association of AustraliaDomestic/Regional
Division (FAAA) represents cabin crew, while the Australian Federation of Air Pilots
(AFAP) represents pilots. The Transport Workers Union (TWU) covers the largest
proportion of eligible VB employees, including pit crew, engineering, and "guest
services." This broad coverage has caused some friction between the TWU and the
Australian Services Union (ASU), which VB does not recognize, even though the
ASU represents ground staff at Qantas, JS, and most other airlines in Australia.
Nevertheless, the TWU views its relationship with VB as generally positive and has
been able to settle most grievances and disputes at the enterprise level through
negotiation.