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Airport workers around the country have protested against what they call “alarming breaches” in safety on the part of Swissport.
Hundreds of workers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide called on Swissport to lift standards after union “safety blitzes” this month reportedly revealed issues with damaged equipment, unsafe staffing levels, heat injuries, and “intrusive worker surveillance”.
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The protests come as bargaining opens up for ground handling, cabin crew, pilots, security and catering, with the union warning that thousands of workers could potentially take protected industrial action this year.
According to TWU national secretary Michael Kaine, workers at Swissport and across the aviation sector “are now risking life and limb just by doing their job”.
“Enabled by its clients like Qantas, Swissport employs workers under rock-bottom pay and conditions, and safety blitzes have recently revealed issues ranging from damaged ground equipment to critically unsafe under-staffing,” he said.
“Swissport is just the tip of the iceberg. Across aviation, workers are under immense and deadly pressure, generating huge profits for airlines and airports while their standards go backwards.
“Workers are standing up today to say enough is enough of risking their lives, their time with family and their health to do a job that doesn’t recognize their value.
“These workers want to see aviation return to an industry of lifetime careers that they can be proud of, not transitory jobs nobody can afford to stay in.”
According to the union, Swissport has a “history of alarming safety issues impacting both on workers and the public”, and is not allowing entry for legally sanctioned safety inspections at Perth Airport.
“Last year it was revealed some ports are receiving up to 400 safety reports a month at Swissport,” the TWU said.
“The TWU has previously revealed other safety breaches at Swissport impacting on the public, from firearms being left on baggage carousels, passenger stairs removed from planes, and plane cargo doors left open.
“Workers are calling on airlines and airports to properly fund fair standards in aviation at companies like Swissport and return good jobs to the sector, after a decade of pay and conditions reaching rock bottom under Alan Joyce’s Qantas.”
Swissport has been contacted for comment.
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