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More Sydney Airport security staff will strike this week over pay and conditions at contractor Certis.
Up to 50 Work Safety Officers, who are responsible for activities surrounding the airport’s curfew including closing off the airfield and tarmac and escorting contractors and emergency vehicles, will strike from 10pm to 1am until Thursday.
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The TWU industrial action follows strikes by terminal security screening staff last week, which coincided with Qantas Ground Services staff walking off the job.
“Last week saw security screeners bravely standing up and taking action against their wages and conditions being smashed by the country’s most profitable airport. Now critical security staff responsible for functions leading up to Sydney Airport’s curfew are also saying enough is enough,” said TWU NSW secretary Richard Olsen.
“Many of these workers are languishing on insecure part-time hours and poor pay, unable to secure a mortgage or even plan their roles around ever-changing rosters. With such safety-critical roles this is unacceptable at the busiest airport in Australia.
“Certis needs to step up and provide job security for its security workers, but the buck doesn’t stop with them. Sydney Airport which contracts this company, and rakes in huge profits, needs to step up to and ensure the people keeping passengers safe have secure, decent jobs.”
A Sydney Airport spokesperson confirmed the action will be taking place and said it would not affect passenger operations.
“Contingency plans are in place and there is no expected impact to passengers, flights or airport operations, which will continue as normal,” the spokesperson said.
In a statement last week, Olsen said Sydney Airport security workers “have faced years of uncertainty, with Sydney Airport’s threats to end contracts draining experience and leading to job insecurity, poor pay, and dangerously low standards for workers and passengers”.
“Security staff are on strike alongside Qantas workers today because the most profitable airport in the country has driven down their wages and conditions for years,” he said.
“Sydney Airport has no problem charging the travelling public a small fortune for parking, but refuses to guarantee decent jobs for workers providing crucial safety services.
“Sydney Airport must step in and properly fund the companies it uses to carry out these critical services for millions of travellers every year.”
Sydney Airport recorded $584.3 million in aeronautical profits for the 2024-25 financial year.
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