Major Australian Airports Could Face Further Delays as Baggage Handlers Threaten Strike

Trying2SaveABuck on 26/07/2022 - 22:46
Last edited 26/07/2022 - 22:47

'The Transport Workers Union (TWU) said about 700 baggage and ramp operations staff at global aviation company Dnata will apply to the Fair Work Commission on Tuesday to hold a vote on industrial action. If strike action goes ahead, it could affect thousands of travellers in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, where passengers have endured cancelled flights, long queues and delayed baggage retrieval over past weeks.'

https://twitter.com/i/events/1551761410610196480?s=20

this is affecting anyones travel plans???

anyone else over all the issues with travel COVID, Long waits for passports, loads of cancelled flights, costs though the roof, AUD very weak esp compared to USD etc

Poll Options

  • 6
    Not affecting my plans ill wait 5 days if i have too gtfo of here
  • 25
    considering not travelling till the crazy calms down
  • 9
    might affect my travel plans
Travel

Comments

    • kanmen on 27/07/2022 - 00:40
      +8

      Translation: Workers should not be allowed to dictate their own working conditions in this country.

      Great future ahead with this kind of thinking. No wonder wage growth has stagnated and working conditions have deteriorated.

      It might be the worst time for baggage handlers to strike if you're a traveller, but amidst staff shortages and related chaos in the industry I don't know why baggage handlers shouldn't have the right to fight for better working conditions.

      • tsunamisurfer on 27/07/2022 - 11:34

        I never said they have to accept the current conditions.

        If the current conditions are not to their liking then vote with their feet and leave.

        If enough leave the airport will quickly find itself with no staff and scrambling to hire more at the right (higher) market rate.

        But you should not be able to hold onto your job and refuse to work thereby preventing the company from operating.

    • suchan on 27/07/2022 - 09:49
      +3

      This is exactly the same attitude as Gina Rinehart who believes Australians are overpaid and unproductive.

      https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-05/rinehart-says-aussie-…

      Capitalism at its best.

    • Trying2SaveABuck on 27/07/2022 - 11:24

      Tell each worker if they strike they are given a first and final warning, if they do not return to work fire them.

      if they are casuals you are well within your rights to do that but in the 'current' employment environment i think you will find it would hurt the airport more as finding staff right now is impossible esp for 'low paid jobs'

      they would be better off giving them a 4-7% pay rises and hiring and a few more staff or just offering new staff a 'retention' bonus ie work 12 months you get 3-4k bonus

      Baggage handlers are on like $23 bucks and hour and it is a 'fairly' heavy job (abet low skilled) - they probably well within the rights to ask for $26-28 plus adequate staffing levels

      • tsunamisurfer on 27/07/2022 - 11:36

        No one has any 'rights' to a rate increase.

        Its up to what they negotiate with their employer or as a collective with their employer.

        • Trying2SaveABuck on 27/07/2022 - 11:39
          +1

          negotiate with their employer or as a collective with their employer.

          strike action is 'part' of negotiating - i couldnt careless if they get what they want but it is the 'smartest' time to strike so many people are travelling post covid, unemployment is low so replacing staff is difficult and the travel industry is on its knees due to COVIDs damage

          The said during COVID peak lock downs Nurses should strike as they 'hold' all the cards.

          Negotiating is about negotiating from a position of power not when its 'best' for the employer thus why Nurses now cant even get 3% but if they striked during lockdown they probably could of got 50%

          you're a smart guys Tsurfer you know this

          • tsunamisurfer on 27/07/2022 - 11:55
            -1

            @Trying2SaveABuck: Striking is a dirty form of negotiating.

            You don't want to work for the current conditions so cripple the company and worse still prevent someone else who will accept the conditions from stepping in.

            Just leave if you think you are worth more.

            • Trying2SaveABuck on 27/07/2022 - 12:27
              +4

              @tsunamisurfer:

              Striking is a dirty form of negotiating.

              depends on if the 'employer' is offering a reasonable EBA if you are asking for 7% the employer is offering 1% and inflation is 5% then you can understand if the ask is 4% and employer is offering 2% with inflation at 3% i feel like a 'agreement' can be found without such means.

              my understanding is the workers want a 'reasonable' raise but also contractual guarantees to protect from under-staffing.

              Thus, i would argue it is 'far' more dirty for management to chronic under staff a work place and expect workers to 'simply put up with it' and considering the macro-economic environment favours them it is smart to hit up management for $$$ and better conditions.

              in this case i am actually with the workers poor management needs to be 'called out' i see it in lots of industries in which 'poor' management actually costs the business way more money then it ever would spend a doing the right thing.

              Aged care is a prime example

  • djones145 on 27/07/2022 - 07:03
    +1

    well luggage are getting lost anyway can it get any worse?

    so if they strike, maybe we can carry our own luggage to the plane. at least we know its on the plane

  • sjj89 on 27/07/2022 - 07:55
    +13

    One of the main issues they’re striking over is chronic understaffing, so actually trying to FIX the problem you’re pointing out.

    Also over a new enterprise agreement that pays them well below award rates.

    Don’t forget, Dnata, the company they work for, are Dubai owned, and the company have threatened to bring in junk wage workers from the Phillipines to replace them, in turn exporting their Manila slave-force into Australia.

    So yeah, they should strike, eff Dnata.

    • EightImmortals on 27/07/2022 - 08:46

      And none of that is being challenged by the government? Or are they facilitating it?

      • djones145 on 27/07/2022 - 09:27
        +3

        thank privatization!

        • EightImmortals on 27/07/2022 - 09:29
          +1

          But don't private corporations still have to abide by the law?
          Otherwise what's the point in having laws?

          "Also over a new enterprise agreement that pays them well below award rates."

          Isn't it illegal to pay people under award rates?

        • djones145 on 27/07/2022 - 11:43

          if they have identified a lack of skilled working locally, I'm assuming they can apply and fund workers from overseas on visas

          we do it for other industries.

          they usually off shore like contact centres and processing to india

  • foxmulder on 27/07/2022 - 08:32

    I'm guessing strike happen anytime right, what happen if you land to airport and your baggage not there due to strike, you wait there or they will mail it to you?

    • Trying2SaveABuck on 27/07/2022 - 11:26

      i think Unions usually give 'fair notice' but i might be wrong

  • orangetrain on 27/07/2022 - 08:36
    +2

    Airport companies are already on strike refusing to pay more because they want cheap exploitable brown people, that's why there's delays.

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