Passengers at seaports and major international airports across the country can expect delays and disruptions due to a customs and immigration staff strike.
The two-hour action from 9am on Wednesday will hit international airports in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin, as well as seaports.
The Community and Public Sector Union strike will coincide with the launch of the Australian Border Force, a single frontline operational border agency within the immigration department.
These workers were putting "their lives on the line" to keep Australia safe yet the Abbott government continued to push a policy that would dramatically cut their take-home pay, CPSU National Secretary Nadine Flood said in a statement.
The stoppages follow a half-day strike by customs officers at Melbourne's international airport last week, which left arriving passengers standing in long lines to go through customs and collect their bags.
Staff at Medicare, Centrelink and other Commonwealth offices also went on strike but are not included in Wednesday's action.
The union accuses the federal government of walking away from negotiations on a new pay deal, and says the current offer would strip many workers of allowances worth $5000 to $8000 a year.
A revised offer is waiting for a final tick of approval from the government and will be presented to the union in July.
Share
