'Cut to the marrow': Why Easter travel plans might be thrown into disarray

The United Firefighters Union of Australia (UFU) has threatened industrial action, which could begin as soon as Thursday, March 28, after failed negotiations over staffing numbers with employers Airservices Australia.

Airservices Australia previously told The Examiner 23 dedicated aviation rescue firefighters were employed at Launceston Airport, supported by local fire crews, in line with legal obligations.

However, UFU aviation branch secretary Wesley Garrett said this simply was not enough, with the current rostering system of three six-firefighter crews stretched to its limits.

He said firefighter numbers had been cut "beyond the bone, to the marrow" during the COVID-19 pandemic when firefighter numbers were reduced in line with a slowdown in air travel.

However, as passenger numbers surged and more flights were squeezed into limited hours of operation, pressure was being placed on the available firefighters.

"Launceston, Hobart and Sunshine Coast all have very similar rostering systems with a lot of pressure on operational hours or an increase in the operational hours the airport needs to be open," Mr Garrett said.

"That puts a large amount of stress on a three-crew setup. That's why the cracks are appearing.

"The staffing isn't keeping pace with demand. We are back to, and exceeding, 2019 numbers."

The staffing shortfall meant firefighters were working high levels of overtime and had difficulties taking leave they were entitled to or doing mandatory training, as there were no relief staff.

The union previously claimed 24 flights landed at or departed from Launceston Airport over the Christmas period with no firefighters on duty.

These took place outside of the airport's regular hours of operation.

Aviation firefighters are only legally required to be on-site during scheduled operational hours, however they can provide out-of-hours support if overtime and fatigue management guidelines allow according to Airservices Australia.

The UFU has been campaigning for minimum staffing numbers to be included in employment contracts, not just legislation, to give firefighters a reprieve, and ensure passengers were not put at risk.

Mr Garrett said this would bring contracts for firefighters employed by Airservices Australia - a government-owned corporation - into line with those offered to private contractors.

A ballot of union members is expected to be complete by the end of March 18, which will determine whether aviation rescue firefighters nationwide will undertake a range of actions.

These include work stoppages, bans on working overtime and three-hour windows where aviation rescue firefighters are unavailable to respond to emergency calls.

Mr Garrett said he believed the results would favour industrial action, and airlines would be given notice so they could reschedule flights.

"We know that there is some disruption going to be caused by us taking industrial action. The objective is not to disrupt the public at all," he said.

"If the statutory authority responsible for providing these services is going to sit back and behave in a way that they have for the last several years, then the people who provide these services are not going to sit on their hands, doing nothing.

"This is a job we've taken seriously, and if we need to have these conditions outlined in our enterprise agreement and get some strength around compliance with them, then that's what we're prepared to do."

Airservices Australia has been contacted for comment.