The Herald understands Qantas also had contingency plans in place.<\/p>\n
Extra Qantas and Jetstar staff were at the airport and offering flexibility for customers who wanted to move their flights.<\/p>\n
Sydney Airport said it was encouraging all passengers to leave plenty of time to get to the airport.<\/p>\n
Negotiations are taking place between security company Certis, its employees, and the Transport Workers\u2019 Union in Australia.<\/p>\n
Sydney Airport is not a party to those negotiations. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re working closely with our airport partners to minimise disruption and maintain passenger safety today,\u201d a Sydney Airport spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
Extra baggage staff have been rostered on in the terminals.<\/p>\n
A Certis spokesperson said the company\u2019s employees yesterday received a new offer to consider. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe are disappointed that, with that offer on the table, the TWU has chosen instead to proceed with industrial action that affects the travelling public.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertis remains committed to constructive bargaining towards a fair and sustainable agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n
But the TWU told Nine News the affected workers were demanding more fulltime jobs, fairer rostering, and no cuts to part-time hours. <\/p>\n
\u201cAfter standards have fallen dangerously low from years of cost-cutting by Sydney Airport, these workers are simply asking for more fulltime jobs, and rosters that aren\u2019t changing by the hour,\u201d a TWU state secretary told Nine.<\/p>\n
Sydney\u2019s aviation security workforce differs from New Zealand\u2019s major airports, where the public sector through the Aviation Security Service (AvSec) is responsible for passenger and baggage screening.<\/p>\n
Certis said fulltime aviation security screeners at Sydney Airport earned more than A$100,000 ($121,000) a year including allowances.<\/p>\n
Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport was already warning travellers yesterday of possible disruption.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease check with your airline for the latest updates on your flight.\u201d<\/p>\n
At 10am New Zealand time the airport\u2019s website said security wait times for international flights were still less than five minutes.<\/p>\n
The TWU action was planned to go from 8am to noon NZT and again from 7pm to 9pm, NZT.<\/p>\n
Sydney time is two hours behind New Zealand.<\/p>\n