Airport chaos: International flight disruptions at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane airports as workers strike

International flights at major Australian airports are facing delays as more than a 1000 ground workers stage a four-hour strike, citing poor pay, insecure working conditions and the lingering impacts of Qantas outsourcing practices.

The strike, impacting Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane airports, involves baggage, ramp and cargo workers servicing airlines such as Emirates, American Airlines, Delta Airlines and China Eastern Airlines.

The industrial action follows nearly a year of failed negotiations between services company dnata and the Transport Workers Union.

Workers are demanding better pay, improved overtime and shift penalties, greater job security and increased guaranteed hours.

“These jobs used to be full-time, permanent positions directly employed by airlines,” the union’s National Secretary Michael Kaine told the ABC.

“Alan Joyce changed all of that — outsourcing the work, splitting it among multiple companies and driving terms and conditions to rock bottom.”

“Workers are now guaranteed only 24 hours a week, making it nearly impossible to secure loans for homes or personal needs.”

Dnata, a global provider of airport services, stepped in to handle ground services after Qantas outsourced 1800 ground handling jobs in 2020 — a move later ruled illegal by the Federal Court.

Workers employed by dnata during the pandemic were ineligible for JobKeeper payments because the company is foreign-owned.

Despite recording over $4.5 billion in profits in the past six months, the company has resisted workers’ demands for improved conditions.

“These workers are trying to rebuild aviation jobs that were destroyed under a decade of outsourcing to the lowest bidder under Alan Joyce,” Mr Kaine said.

“Without this action now, we’ll continue to see standards at our airports plummet.”

He urged dnata and its airline clients, like Qantas, to address the structural issues in aviation and provide the necessary funds to improve worker conditions.

“This is not just a couple of union officials at the bargaining table, nearly the entire workforce has taken the really difficult decision to exercise their industrial right to stop work - that’s a strong signal.”

“We’re ready, willing and able to be back at the bargaining table at any minute ... these workers just want to get it done,” Mr Kaine said.

Passengers are urged to check flight schedules, with delays expected throughout the day.