Strikes at Sydney Airport affect screening and ground handling — ABC News Australia

Passengers at Sydney Airport in Australia have been urged to arrive early due to two separate strikes affecting security services and ground handling operations. As ABC News Australia reports, the airport administration advised travelers to allow extra time and monitor notifications from their airlines.

Security workers' strike

According to the Transport Workers Union, about 400 security staff walked off the job for two hours on the morning of September 24. The action took place amid stalled pay negotiations with private company Certis Security.

The union also announced another two-hour work stoppage starting at 18:00 that same day, as well as a three-hour strike on Monday, the first day of school holidays in the state. Richard Olsen, the TWU secretary in New South Wales, said the union had been negotiating for months for better pay and working conditions, including permanent employment, proper rostering and the ability to take leave.

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Certis said it was committed to constructive negotiations. The company also stated that security staff at Sydney Airport receive pay and conditions that significantly exceed those provided for under the relevant industry award.

Ground services action

Separately, hundreds of ground handling workers from two Qantas cargo subsidiaries began a 24-hour strike at airports in Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. Some baggage handling workers from QantasLink's regional division also joined the action in Sydney.

The workers are demanding more guaranteed working hours and higher pay. Qantas said it had contingency plans for such action and did not expect disruptions for customers. An airline representative clarified that the striking workers do not service Qantas Domestic, Qantas International or QantasLink flights outside Sydney.