Australians flying internationally from east coast airports could see more delays as baggage handlers are threatening to go on strike due to proposed pay cuts and concerns about conditions.
Ground crew from the Emirates-owned group Dnata (the Dubai National Air Travel Agency) are taking their first step towards industrial action on Tuesday, applying to the Fair Work Commission to hold a vote on strike action.
The airport services provider supplies handling for up to 20 airlines including Qantas, Emirates, Etihad and Singapore Airlines. The federal Court previously found Qantas’s outsourcing of 1,700 ground handler jobs in 2020 was unlawful. Qantas is currently seeking to appeal the ruling in the high court.
International services at Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane airports could be affected if the action proceeds, potentially adding further delays to a system already under stress.
On Monday, queues at Sydney airport snaked halfway around the outside of the terminal and aviation analytics firm OAG revealed the country’s two biggest airports to be ranked among the worst globally for on-time performance. Of 665 airports, Melbourne finished 631st and Sydney 597th.
Australian airports across the board have recently experienced widespread delays and cancellations as a result of weather conditions, school holidays and staff shortages, at a time they are also battling a global lost luggage crisis.
The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) said the application to the Fair Work Commission came as a result of Dnata’s attempt to push through an agreement which it claimed would cut pay for some workers below award minimum conditions.
The union also said that ground crew had warned Dnata that what it described as “chronic understaffing, airport chaos and safety incidents will only get worse if the company doesn’t offer secure jobs at higher rates to attract and retain workers”.
The TWU released what it said was a leaked email from Dnata to staff saying there had been “quite a few incidents in the last two weeks, a couple resulting in aircraft damage and serious damage to pieces of GSE [ground support equipment]”.
The email, seen by Guardian Australia, warns staff to resist any “pressure” from airline staff or managers “to work faster”.
Andrew David, the CEO of Qantas Domestic and International, appeared on Channel Nine’s Today show on Tuesday and denied outsourcing impacted on safety or that the situation was “dangerous.”
David said he had read the leaked Dnata memo and believed some phrases were taken out of context.
“It was a reminder to everybody in Dnata, in the same way we want our ground handlers to remember, safety always comes first,” he said.
“We collectively as an industry, and at Qantas, hold all our service providers to the same standard that we hold ourselves.
“We never compromise on the training. We never compromise on safety. It’s ludicrous to suggest that corners are being cut and the union’s got to take action.”
A spokesperson for Dnata told the Guardian the organisation was “dedicated to the restart of Australian aviation and will continue to work hard to support our employees and meet our customers’ requirements”.
“We remain committed to ensuring our employees are appropriately compensated and able to complete their roles to the highest standard,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said “the safety and security of our staff, customers and their customers are our number one priority. We have … comprehensive and stringent measures in place that ensure the highest level of safety across our operations.”
