‘Crisis conditions’: Union slams aviation industry with protests at Brisbane Airport over raft of safety concerns

Union-affiliated workers have marched at Brisbane Airport demanding “decent standards” in aviation, calling on airlines, governments and regulators to put fair working conditions in place.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) on Wednesday said dozens of workers would protest outside Brisbane International Airport after raising issues about “crisis conditions”, sparked by what they claimed was “over a decade” of cost-cutting and outsourcing by airlines.

“Poor pay and conditions are driving skilled workers out of the industry and impacting safety for both workers and the travelling public,” the union said in a statement.

Major issues have also been flagged with companies like Swissport, with the union claiming the Swiss aviation company is dragging the industry down with an “appalling” safety record.

In December last year, a Swissport worker at Brisbane Airport almost lost his leg in a machinery accident.

TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said workers could not function in an industry where clients were “ruthlessly cutting costs in their supply chain”.

A union-led survey of 300 workers – 10 per cent of Swissport’s workforce – claimed 39 per cent had been injured while on the job.

Another 73 per cent claimed they had been “pressured” to work unsafely, while 60 per cent said they were left with outdated equipment.

The survey found that 1 in 2 participants said their safety concerns had not been resolved.

“It is an appalling indictment on the state of this industry that almost half of Swissport workers are injured on the job, three-quarters are pressured to work unsafely just to get planes out on time, and their concerns are routinely ignored,” Mr Kaine claimed.

“This must end.”

Mr Kaine said the crisis in aviation would not go away by itself unless there was “significant action” at all levels.

The union has demanded that airports prioritise workers and customers over profits.

They also want airlines to ensure workers have “safe, secure, and fairly paid jobs” and governments to establish a commission to keep the industry sustainable.

“Aviation members today are standing up for decent jobs, for decent standards in aviation and an industry that serves the community rather than CEOs and their pay packets,” Mr Kaine said.

In a statement, a Brisbane Airport spokesman reiterated that safety and care were at the core of the airport’s culture.

“We take a strong and proactive stance on safety, not just as a regulatory requirement, but as a fundamental value that guides how we design, build, and manage our airport environment,” the spokesman said.

“This commitment extends beyond our own staff to include the hundreds of people employed by airlines and their contracted service providers who work across our precinct every day, and that includes Swissport.

“We believe that a safe airport is only possible through collaboration, transparency, and shared commitment to safety by all who operate here.”

Swissport has been contacted for comment.