Striking Australian airport customs and immigration staff have been told to go to work after the Fair Work Commission ordered that industrial action over a pay dispute be temporarily suspended.
The commission made the order late on Sunday to suspend the action pending its decision on a government bid for a three-month halt on strikes on national security grounds, the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) said.
The order suspends strikes from 12.15am Monday.
"Members on duty tonight should not take any further notified action, with the suspension taking effect just after midnight Sunday night," the CPSU said on its website.
"...The CPSU will abide by the order made by the Fair Work Commission and strongly encourages members to immediately refrain from taking notified industrial action."
Urgent hearings were held in the Fair Work Commission on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday after the Immigration Department applied late on Friday to suspend all industrial action for three months on national security grounds.
The CPSU said part of the commission's proceedings were ordered closed after the Commonwealth sought to legally suppress some of the evidence.
The union plans to fight against the Immigration Department's application when the case returns to the commission on Tuesday.
The strikes had initially been planned for the Easter long weekend but were suspended in the wake of the Belgium terror attacks so as not to compromise Australia's national security.
On Monday customs and immigration staff had planned to strike at airports in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, as well as regional terminals in Queensland.
Rolling stoppages around the nation had been scheduled to run until April 12, after the CPSU asked Immigration Department staff to take the action as the latest step in a two-year battle with the federal government over pay and conditions.
