FED:Airport delays expected during stop work

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2011
FED:Airport delays expected during stop work

SYDNEY, Aug 17 AAP - Passengers arriving at Australia's international airports are
being warned to expect delays on Friday as quarantine inspectors stop work for four hours.

Stalled pay negotiations with the federal Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(DAFF) have sparked the latest round of industrial action, which will begin at 6am local
time.

About 3000 DAFF workers stopped work last week for two hours.

Community and Public Sector Union national secretary Nadine Flood said inbound international
travellers on Friday should be prepared for delays, and she advised people collecting
passengers to take this into account.

Cargo inspections, the release of imported goods and X-ray screening of international
mail will also probably be affected.

Ms Flood said the union would escalate its industrial action in coming weeks if the
government didn't offer a better pay deal.

"Taking protected action is a last resort for DAFF staff but we have been driven to
this by the lack of progress on negotiations, and the refusal of the federal government
to offer a pay deal that will not leave staff worse off after three years," Ms Flood said
in a statement.

"Our members are committed to delivering essential services but they are not prepared
to accept sub-standard agreements that devalue their work."

The government has offered staff a three per cent pay rise over three years, which
the union said was below the headline inflation rate of 3.6 per cent.

The union has given the department seven days' notice of the protected action, under
the Fair Work Act.

Ms Flood said quarantine staff were often expected to inspect dangerous and filthy
shipping containers in all sorts of weather.

"They are regularly required to dispose of used condoms, sick bags and other potentially
infectious human waste items from international aircraft," she said.

"They have a tough, dirty and often dangerous job and they deserve a reasonable pay rise."

AAP saj/tr/dep

KEYWORD: DAFF INDUSTRIAL

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