SYDNEY AIRPORT REFUELERS TO HOLD 6-HOURS OF STRIKES AFTER AMPOL FAILS TO NEGOTIATE FAIR DEAL

More than 50 Sydney airport refuelers in Qantas’ supply chain will be holding 6-hours of strikes across multiple shifts on Wednesday, July 31, after Ampol failed to provide fairer pay, better hours and more full-time positions.

A Transport Workers Union (TWU) member-led bargaining team has met with the company in good faith fourteen times over the last six months – including crisis talks following the unanimous vote by workers to take protected action – in order to reach a fair agreement.

Members want locked in job security, provides adequate industrial and work health and safety (WHS) training and offers fair and reasonable wage increases during a cost of living crisis.

Workers have notified Ampol Aviation about the following work stoppages on Wednesday, July 31:

• Night shift: 02:00 – 04:00 one 2 hour stoppage;
• Day shift: 08:30 – 10:30 two 1 hour stoppages back to back;
• Afternoon shift: 18:00 – 20:00 one 2 hour stoppage.

Cancellation and delays could be widespread, as Ampol services 16 domestic and international airlines including Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar, Air New Zealand, Delta and British Airways.

Workers have dropped several claims at the request of the company, with all remaining asks being reasonable. Ampol refuelers have only received a 3.5 percent pay increase over the last three years, while the cost of living has spiked more than 15 percent. The company also only provides 24 full-time positions out of 68 employees, making retaining workers in a skilled and dangerous industry difficult.

Protected action is always a last resort, but workers have been forced to after the company continued to claim that keeping refuelers among the lowest paid in the industry was crucial for maintaining contracts with airlines such as Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar.

TWU NSW/QLD State Secretary Richard Olsen said Ampol’s unwillingness to offer workers a fair deal has left them with no choice but to take industrial action.

“If flights are delayed or cancelled because of industrial action, the blame lies solely with Ampol’s management for failing their workers.”

“These workers are dedicated but can’t accept further declines in wages and conditions. With booming aviation demand, jobs are being undervalued due to airlines’ obsession with profits. Workers need better part-time hours and more full-time roles for job security.”

“Airport workers nationwide are overburdened and exhausted, struggling with minimal wages and unstable hours.”

“The relentless drive for profits driven by privatised airports and the likes of Qantas has plunged the aviation industry into crisis. We urgently need a Safe and Secure Skies Commission to set fair standards and ensure skilled workers are in every role, from the baggage room to the cockpit.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Adam Jacobson – 0405 625 208 / adam.jacobson@twunsw.org.au

NOTES:

• A letter from TWU bargaining committee members was sent to Ampol Aviation management on Thursday as a last effort to avoid strike action. That letter can be read here: https://bit.ly/46ieXnI
• Over the past 18 months, Qantas posted $3.72 billion in underlying profit, while the four largest airports raked in $1.7 billion over the last financial year. Ampol reported an annual profit of $1.7 billion for the 2023 financial year.