SYDNEY— Passengers travelling through Sydney Airport (SYD) today have been advised to allow additional time for their journeys as two separate Transport Workers Union (TWU) strikes affect airport security and ground services.
The industrial action involves about 400 security screeners and hundreds of workers linked to Qantas (QF) freight and regional operations.
The security stoppage involves employees of Certis Security, while the second strike involves workers from Qantas subsidiaries Australian airExpress and Qantas Ground Services.
Sydney Airport has urged travelers to arrive early and monitor messages from their airlines as the separate disputes take place on Thursday, September 24.
Sydney Airport Security Strike
Around 400 Certis security workers staged a two-hour stoppage on Thursday morning after negotiations over pay and employment conditions failed to produce an agreement.
Another two-hour stoppage is scheduled from 6 pm to 8 pm, followed by a further three-hour stoppage on September 28.
The action comes after months of bargaining between the TWU and Certis, with the union seeking improved pay, more secure employment and better rostering arrangements.
The Fair Work Commission recorded a protected-action ballot involving TWU members and Certis Security Australia earlier this month.
Sydney Airport has advised passengers to allow extra time and remain alert for updates from their airlines. The airport has also put contingency measures in place to reduce the effect of the security stoppages on passengers and airport operations.
Qantas Ground Workers Strike
Separately, hundreds of Qantas ground workers began a 24-hour strike at Sydney Airport and airports in Adelaide (ADL), Brisbane (BNE) and Perth (PER).
The action involves employees working for Australian airExpress and Qantas Ground Services, with some QantasLink ground staff at Sydney also participating.
The workers are seeking higher wages, greater job security and more guaranteed working hours.
The TWU has said some employees have as little as 15 hours of guaranteed work each week, while Qantas has said it remains committed to annual pay increases and creating more full-time opportunities.
The ground-worker stoppage is focused largely on freight and selected regional operations rather than Qantas’ mainline domestic and international services.
Qantas has said it has contingency plans in place and does not expect the action to significantly disrupt its customers.
Passenger Travel Advice
The simultaneous strikes have increased pressure on airport operations during a busy travel period, particularly at Sydney.
The security action can affect passenger processing, while the separate ground-services dispute primarily concerns freight and selected QantasLink operations.
Passengers travelling from Sydney Airport today should therefore arrive earlier than usual, allow additional time for security screening and check their airline notifications before leaving for the airport.
Sydney Airport has specifically advised travellers to stay informed because operating conditions can change during the industrial action.
Certis has said it remains committed to constructive bargaining and maintains that its Sydney Airport employees receive pay and conditions above the relevant industry award, ABC News reported.
Qantas, meanwhile, has said it is seeking an agreement that provides annual wage increases, more full-time opportunities and greater certainty for employees and customers.
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