Sydney Airport Strike On Friday August 23: What Passengers Need to Know 

By James Bale

Refuelers at Sydney airport announced they will go on strike for 12 hours on Friday, August 23, in response to the head fuel company Ampol Aviation’s lack of pay increases and secure employment.  

Throughout the 24-hour period on Friday, airport refuellers will be striking on three shifts, in the morning between 1 am-5 am, in the midmorning between 7 am to 11 am, and in the evening between 6 pm to 11 pm.

The 10.3 million passengers that pass through the airport each day can expect chaos and delayed flights. Out of the 700-1000 flights that fly in and out of the airport daily, Ampol Aviation is responsible for refueling the likes of Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar, Air New Zealand, Delta, and British Airways.

With the lack of refueling time on the runways, there are tipped to be greater delays and even cancellations. The flights most affected will be the longer domestic flights such as Sydney to Perth and Sydney to Townsville. International flights and East Coast flights will also be affected.  

The last major strike at Sydney Airport occurred was in 2011 when 80,000 passengers were affected, and over 600 flights were cancelled as Qantas staff walked off the job for weeks.  

Workers To Strike For Pay Increase

The strike is a direct response to Ampol Aviation’s refusal of their workers’ demands for a pay increase and better employment conditions. Refuellers wage growth is not keeping up to speed with the cost-of-living crisis with only a 3.5% increase over the last three years, and it has also been reported that only 35% of the employees working at Ampol Aviation are on full-time employment.  

Adam Jacobson from the Transport Workers Union has said that the strike is off the back of six months of negotiations with Ampol Aviation as they have continued to make profits, upwards of $1.7 billion. “The company’s unwillingness to meet workers’ reasonable demands, such as improvements to leave entitlements, more full-time positions, and a fair wage increase after years of stagnation, places the burden on workers to take action in pursuit of a better deal,” Jacobson said in a statement.   

The State Secretary of the Transport Workers Union in New South Wales and Queensland, Richard Olsen said going on strike, was a ‘last resort’. The TWU pushed their claim that the low wages of refuelers were important in maintaining contracts with the major airlines. “These workers are dedicated professionals who deserve better… The aviation industry is facing a crisis driven by the relentless pursuit of profit at the expense of workers. We urgently need a Safe and Secure Skies Commission to establish fair standards and ensure that every role…is valued and secure”.  

While no flight delays or cancellations have been reported, passengers can expect many in the next 24 hours.