00:00 These workers behind me are just about to step into negotiations with Virgin, actually,
00:05 cabin crew and ground services.
00:07 And of course, they're representing workers that are exhausted and, quite frankly, angry.
00:12 They're feeling overworked and undervalued.
00:14 This is the same group of workers, to remind your viewers, that with Bain Capital, the
00:19 owners of Virgin, pulled this company out of administration.
00:22 And they did it on the back of sacrifice, sacrifice in wages, sacrifices in their conditions.
00:28 And then they had to extend that sacrifice, those emergency conditions, because of the
00:32 COVID crisis.
00:33 And now, quite rightly, there's a reasonable expectation that they'll be repaid for that,
00:38 that they'll be compensated for it, and that the emergency settings will be removed and
00:43 we can get back to good, solid jobs at Virgin.
00:45 And that's why, overnight, we've written to the owners of Virgin, Bain Capital and others,
00:51 and said to them that we want a commitment from you, a commitment from you to ensure
00:56 that there is respect in the workforce, which Virgin is renowned for, good, secure jobs,
01:00 that there's a reward in the form of a share scheme for these workers, that there's investment
01:05 in technology and plans, and most importantly, that there is reform in this industry.
01:11 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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