Strikes planned over the upcoming long weekend by immigration and border force staff at Australia’s airports, have been cancelled in a response to the Brussels airport bombings.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull appealed directly to members of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) who had planned industrial action as a result of the failure of public sector bargaining agreements. The staff who had planned to strike are members of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU). National Secretary Nadine Flood said, “We have agreed to Prime Minister Turnbull’s request to postpone these strikes in good faith and conscious of the understandable concern of travellers in the wake of the Brussels attacks. I should note that our members would never take industrial action that compromises Australia’s national security at this time or at any time.”
However, if no agreement can be reached in the near future, it is likely that the industrial action will recommence after the Easter break, with the union considering pressing ahead with plans for rolling stoppages over the Easter school holidays. “Border Force and Immigration workers will not strike on Easter Thursday or over the Easter weekend. We will consider whether to take further industrial action next week – and in coming weeks – in the light of the Department’s and the Government’s response in the coming days,” said Ms Flood.
Do you think that immigration and border force staff should continue with their industrial action? Should the Government be doing more to reach an agreement to ensure our borders remain safe? Do you feel safer knowing that Border Protection officers are at work?
