<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>336927</docID> <postdate>2025-01-24 09:40:31</postdate> <headline>International flight disruptions as workers strike</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-336928" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20241114134454897511-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>More than 1000 baggage, ramp and cargo workers have stopped work at airports around Australia. (Steven Markham/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Emily Verdouw</strong></span></p> <p><strong>International flights at major Australian airports are facing delays as more than a 1000 ground workers stage a four-hour strike, citing poor pay, insecure working conditions and the lingering impacts of Qantas outsourcing practices.</strong></p> <p>The strike, impacting Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane airports, involves baggage, ramp and cargo workers servicing airlines such as Emirates, American Airlines, Delta Airlines and China Eastern Airlines.</p> <p>The industrial action follows nearly a year of failed negotiations between services company dnata and the Transport Workers Union.</p> <p>Workers are demanding better pay, improved overtime and shift penalties, greater job security and increased guaranteed hours.</p> <p>"These jobs used to be full-time, permanent positions directly employed by airlines," the union's National Secretary Michael Kaine told the ABC.</p> <p>"Alan Joyce changed all of that - outsourcing the work, splitting it among multiple companies and driving terms and conditions to rock bottom."</p> <p>"Workers are now guaranteed only 24 hours a week, making it nearly impossible to secure loans for homes or personal needs."</p> <p>Dnata, a global provider of airport services, stepped in to handle ground services after Qantas outsourced 1800 ground handling jobs in 2020 - a move later ruled illegal by the Federal Court.</p> <p>Workers employed by dnata during the pandemic were ineligible for JobKeeper payments because the company is foreign-owned.</p> <p>Despite recording over $4.5 billion in profits in the past six months, the company has resisted workers' demands for improved conditions.</p> <p>"These workers are trying to rebuild aviation jobs that were destroyed under a decade of outsourcing to the lowest bidder under Alan Joyce," Mr Kaine said.</p> <p>"Without this action now, we'll continue to see standards at our airports plummet."</p> <p>He urged dnata and its airline clients, like Qantas, to address the structural issues in aviation and provide the necessary funds to improve worker conditions.</p> <p>"This is not just a couple of union officials at the bargaining table, nearly the entire workforce has taken the really difficult decision to exercise their industrial right to stop work - that's a strong signal."</p> <p>"We're ready, willing and able to be back at the bargaining table at any minute ... these workers just want to get it done," Mr Kaine said.</p> <p>Passengers are urged to check flight schedules, with delays expected throughout the day.</p> </body>