Sydney Airport Warns of Delays Amid Security Staff Strikes
- There will be disruption tomorrow, that is in a sense the consequence of having to take industrial action.
Travelers moving through Sydney Airport face potential disruptions this week as up to 400 security screening staff prepare to walk off the job for two-hour stoppages on Thursday, according to reports from Australian Aviation and NewsWire.
The industrial action involves Certis security staff who voted 99 percent in favor of protected strikes over pay and working conditions. Workers will conduct stoppages during two windows from 7:30 am to 9:30 am and 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Official advice from a Sydney Airport spokesperson urges travelers to allow extra time and stay alert for airline updates. The airport is implementing contingency planning to minimize passenger impact, including rostering extra staff in baggage rooms and passenger facilitation staff across the terminals.
Union Demands and Airport Profits
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) states that security screening workers are at a breaking point after years of cost-cutting by the airport operator. TWU NSW State Secretary Richard Olsen pointed to Sydney Airport’s aeronautical profit of $584.3 million for the 2024-25 financial year in remarks reported by Australian Aviation, arguing that the facility can afford secure jobs and fair pay.
TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine told NewsWire in coverage published by Australian Aviation that workers want a reset on terms and conditions, describing airport contracting practices as corporate pressure.
There will be disruption tomorrow, that is in a sense the consequence of having to take industrial action.
Michael Kaine, TWU National Secretary
Simultaneous Stikes Across Australian Airports
Thursday’s security walkout coincides with a separate 24-hour strike by approximately 500 Qantas ground handling and freight staff across Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Perth airports. Those workers, represented across subsidiaries including QGS, AAE, and QantasLink, are similarly demanding improvements in pay, safety, and job security.
While Qantas stated that its ground handling strikes will not cause delays due to contingency plans, Sydney Airport acknowledged that the Certis security stoppages could create terminal congestion. Passengers are advised to monitor direct communications from their respective airlines for real-time flight modifications.