Aussies getting ready for the long weekend — you might want to account for some delays as the airports are about to be thrown into chaos due to upcoming strikes.
Over 1,000 workers from aviation services company Dnata have walked off the job, sending a disruption ripple through airports around the country as they strike for better pay and working conditions.
Passengers are being urged to check flight schedules ahead of their trip.
“There will be disruptions today. That’s the nature of industrial action. There’ll be disruptions at Sydney Airport, at Melbourne Airport, at Brisbane Airport, and there’ll be flight delays,” Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) national secretary Michael Kaine told the Today Show this morning.
“These workers are saying enough is enough. They want to make sure they’ve got a fair shake for themselves and their families.”
He elaborated the workers were struggling with low guaranteed hours and poor rostering. And while disruptions were “regrettable”, it came amid a long-running dispute with the company.
It is understood Qantas domestic services shouldn’t be affected and the airline has contingencies in place for its international flights from Sydney Airport.
However, almost two dozen other carriers including Emirates, Singapore, Japan Airlines and Delta are expected to be impacted.
Similarly, the action is believed to affect up to five flights in Brisbane’s international terminal, with Dnata handling a small number of international carriers at Brisbane Airport. However, it should be “business as usual” for all other travellers.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday morning, Kaine suggested the huge walkout highlighted “something seriously wrong in the company and something seriously wrong in the aviation sector”, per news.com.au.
Airport workers are “sorry” for the disruptions, he added.
Some disruptions are expected in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane airports. Source: gahsoon / Getty Images
A Dnata airport operations spokeswoman said the company was “deeply saddened” TWU members had issued a new industrial action notice.
This, she clarified, came after withdrawing from an in-principle agreement reached in December, according to The Australian.
The agreement, which was finalised a week before Christmas, is believed to have an 11 per cent pay rise over two years and an immediate 8.5 per cent increase for most employees.
However, TWU was asking for an 11 per cent immediate increase and a further six per cent increase within six months, she said, which was “entirely out of step with our financial outlook and the economic realities we face” and not “realistic nor sustainable”.
So if you’re flying out this long weekend, it’s probably best to plan ahead.
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