Up to 400 Certis security staff at Sydney Airport will conduct two sets of two-hour stoppages tomorrow (Sep 24).
Workers critical to passenger safety claim they are at breaking point after years of Sydney Airport driving down wages and conditions, despite making massive profits.
The strike follows an overwhelming 99% yes vote to take legally protected industrial action by workers.
“Every passenger travelling through Sydney Airport relies on these workers to perform one of the most important jobs in aviation: keeping people safe,” said Richard Olsen, NSW State Secretary of the Transport Workers Union (TWU).
“How can they be expected to do that when their wages and conditions are being smashed by the country’s most profitable airport?”
The TWU is calling on Sydney Airport, which contracts Certis, to step up and fund decent wages and reliable jobs to those who provide crucial safety services to the largest and busiest airport in the country, including more full-time jobs, fair pay, and job security.
Despite their critical safety roles, airport security workers say they have faced years of uncertainty, with Sydney Airport’s threats to end contracts draining experience and leading to job insecurity, poor pay, and dangerously low standards for workers and passengers.
In 2024-25, Sydney Airport reported its highest ever aeronautical profit of $584.3 million.
The action will take place alongside Qantas ground staff with its subsidiaries QGS and AAE also set to strike over pay and conditions.
“Aviation is in crisis in this country. Airlines and airports are fuelled by corporate greed and short-term profits, which has destroyed safety, decent jobs and passenger standards at our airports,” added Mr Olsen.
“Workers with critical safety roles not knowing if they’ll have a job tomorrow, at the busiest airport in the country, is a safety crisis waiting to happen.
“Sydney Airport is a monopoly raking in hundreds of millions of dollars in aeronautical profits. It can afford to ensure the people keeping passengers safe have secure, decent jobs.”
