kabarsula ‘Our fight is not with the public’: Further Sydney Airport strikes planned days before WSI opens bandar SLOT INDONESIA

Airport security workers are set to strike at Sydney Airport this Friday.

The planned four-hour stoppages in the morning and evening is just the latest in a string of industrial action in recent months, as workers continue to push for improved wages, job security and more full-time employment.

Sydney Airport has recommended travellers going to the airport on Friday to allow extra time.

The dispute also raises questions about employment conditions at Western Sydney International Airport, which is due to open later this month, with the TWU saying it wants to see secure, full-time jobs established as operations ramp up.

TWU representative Richard Olsen told Travel Weekly the union’s dispute was not with passengers, but with security contractor Certis and Sydney Airport Corporation over outstanding employment claims.

“Our fight is not with the general public,” Olsen said.

“Obviously, our discussions are with Sydney Airport Corporation, who, by the way, are making millions of dollars, but are not sharing too well.”

Olsen said the union expected delays on Friday, although the extent of disruption would vary.

“There will be some delays. Some might be minor. Some might be longer,” he said.

The union said it had notified the company of the planned action on Monday and hoped contingency arrangements would minimise the impact on passengers.

WSI employment model in focus

The dispute comes as Sydney prepares for the opening of Western Sydney International Airport, where the TWU has some members working in freight facilities.

Olsen said it was not yet clear which companies had secured all the relevant contracts at WSI, or how staffing arrangements would operate as the airport opened and passenger numbers grew.

He said the union wanted the new airport to provide full-time employment and long-term career opportunities, rather than relying heavily on part-time roles.

“It has to be based again on the fact that it’s a 24-hour operation, so we’ve got to provide work for workers on that basis,” he said.

“It’s full-time employment and providing job and career opportunities for people to come and work there and be able to maintain a decent standard of living.”

The union’s concerns will be relevant as WSI builds its workforce, although it remains unclear whether the industrial action at Sydney Airport will have any direct implications for the new airport.

Safety concerns over staffing and rostering

Alongside pay and job security, Olsen raised concerns about staffing levels and unpredictable rosters, saying last-minute changes could affect workers’ ability to balance work and family commitments and make it difficult to secure additional employment.

He warned that inadequate staffing and pressure on workers could also create safety risks in airport operations, including security screening and tarmac activities.

“That can lead to further stress. That can lead to shortcuts having to be made and therefore put people in an unsafe position that we don’t want to see,” he said.

Olsen said the union wanted to ensure workers could carry out their duties safely and that staffing arrangements did not encourage shortcuts.

The outstanding claims include wage increases, job security provisions, improved rostering and opportunities for part-time workers to move into full-time positions.

Olsen said some workers were rostered for between 20 and 32 hours a week, which he argued was insufficient to meet rising living costs.

“They’re trying to pay full-time electricity bills, cost-of-living bills on a part-time wage,” he said.

He also argued that the airport’s extended operating hours should allow for more full-time roles, and called on Sydney Airport Corporation to take greater responsibility for addressing the conditions under which its contractors’ workers are employed.

Sydney Airport said: “We are aware of Friday’s industrial action by the TWU and Certis employees at the airport and are working closely with all parties to minimise disruption and maintain passenger safety. “