Arabic version: تحذير لمسافري مطار سيدني من تأخيرات بسبب الإضرابات

According to ABC News, passengers travelling from Sydney Airport have been urged to allow extra time as separate workforce strikes affect security and ground services. Sydney Airport advised travellers to stay alert for messages from their airline.

The Transport Workers Union said about 400 security staff walked off the job for two hours on Thursday morning following stalled pay negotiations with Certis Security. A further two-hour stoppage was expected from 6pm, followed by a three-hour stoppage on Monday, the first day of the state’s school holidays.

In separate industrial action, hundreds of ground service employees at Qantas freight subsidiaries Australian airExpress and Qantas Ground Express began a 24-hour strike at Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth airports, the union said. Some Sydney Airport baggage handlers working for QantasLink also joined the action, with workers seeking more guaranteed hours and higher pay.

Qantas said it had contingency plans in place and did not expect customer disruption. The airline said the employees involved did not service Qantas Domestic or Qantas International flights, or QantasLink outside Sydney. It said it remained committed to an agreement providing annual pay rises, more full-time opportunities and certainty for customers and operations.

TWU NSW secretary Richard Olsen criticised Certis and Sydney Airport over the use of untrained casuals at security checks during the stoppages. Certis said it was committed to constructive bargaining and that its Sydney Airport employees received pay and conditions materially above the relevant industry award.