Millicent Spencer
Chaos could unfold at Melbourne Airport next Friday should aviation firefighters walk off the job.
The United Firefighters Union (UFU) announced on Tuesday that aviation firefighters stationed at all 27 airport locations across the country will stop work for four hours between 6am and 10am Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) December 9.
The strike is part of an ongoing industrial action over firefighter understaffing which the UFU alleges is putting the safety of air travellers at risk.
Both Avalon and Melbourne airports will be affected by the industrial action.
UFU aviation branch secretary Wes Garrett said firefighters understood that this work stoppage would cause significant disruption to the plans of air travellers.
“We understand that this will be extremely disruptive for Australia’s air travellers and aviation firefighters sincerely apologise for the inconvenience,” he said.
“But for over a year now, the safety of air travellers has been consistently put at risk each time they board an aircraft because we don’t have enough aviation firefighters to protect them if their plane crashes or catches fire, and that’s not acceptable.”
Mr Garrett said the industrial action is necessary after months of unsatisfactory talks with the government body, Airservices Australia.
“For over a year now, Airservices steadfastly refused to act or even acknowledge that there’s a problem,” he said.
“Air travellers don’t have the protection they need because Airservices cut 100 aviation firefighters from Australia’s airports to cut costs in October 2021.”
“Now, every month over 600 flights are operating from Australia’s airports without the aviation firefighting protection they require under international aviation safety regulation.”
A spokesperson from Airservices Australia said they are disappointed to learn of the decision to call strike action.
“The union’s claims regarding safety issues are highly misleading,” the spokesperson said.
“There is no shortage of aviation rescue fire fighters in Airservices’ Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service (ARFFS) at Sydney or at any other location.”
The spokesperson said they will continue to work with industry and safety agencies to minimise disruptions to flights as a result of the industrial action.
