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Aviation rescue firefighters will take protected industrial action including an overtime ban from 5 April following a ballot earlier this week.
The action by the United Firefighters Union of Australia (UFUA), which will take place during the Easter school holidays, comes after more than 90 per cent of members in a ballot this week voted for future action over claims of understaffing.
Following the UFUA ballot, the union announced it would postpone any industrial action until after the Easter long weekend, and has since said there would be no work stoppage on 5 April.
“Firefighters will continue to work at airports, respond to emergencies and accept full shift overtime to maintain required staffing levels. Firefighters will not accept ad-hoc partial shift overtime or time off in lieu of overtime,” said the UFUA’s aviation branch secretary, Wes Garrett.
Airservices Australia is responsible for providing aviation rescue firefighting (ARFF) services at 27 of Australia’s busiest airports. Its CEO, Jason Harfield, has denied the UFUA’s accusations, saying the union is mainly seeking a 20 per cent pay rise.
“It is disappointing that the UFUAV is continuing to put thousands of Australians’ safety at risk over the Easter school holiday period in their campaign for a 20 per cent pay increase,” he said.
“This disruptive campaign has nothing to do with staffing levels, which are monitored and regulated by CASA as the aviation safety regulator.”
In a statement, Airservices said it had offered an 11.2 per cent pay rise over five months of negotiation, and that the union’s demands would “cost the aviation industry and their passengers an additional $128 million”.
“In line with recommendations from the Fair Work Commission, Airservices was prepared to hold further meetings with the union to seek a resolution to the dispute without the looming threat of industrial action, however the UFUAV has refused,” said Airservices.
“The union has also threatened to instruct their members to conduct a go-slow in not guaranteeing response times, or even delaying their response to emergency situations involving the travelling public beyond the three-minute maximum required by safety regulations.”
Garrett said Airservices’ statement “mischaracterises” the planned action.
“This is a restrained, considered and proportionate action that will require Airservices Australia management to pay greater attention to rostering practices that manage fatigue and maintain safe staffing levels.
“There should be no effect on passengers or freight flight schedules and we hope that Airservices Australia are able to accommodate this modest action in their planning.
“Firefighters had hoped for a more constructive approach to negotiating an agreement that enhances public safety, maintains required staffing levels, attracts new recruits and manages fatigue responsibly. We remain ready to engage with such an approach in good faith.”
Airservices currently employs more than 830 firefighters, with another 48 expected to join this year.
