The TWU is calling on airlines to ensure workers are consulted and safety remains paramount with risk of volcanic ash in Indonesia, and that a Safe and Secure Skies Commission be urgently established to safeguard the industry.
Aviation is prone to sudden shocks, as demonstrated by the impact of the pandemic, as well as ongoing natural disasters (including cyclone Alfred) and international incidents.
The TWU is calling for a system that can ensure all parties-including airlines, airports, regulators and governments-work together towards decisions that benefit the community instead of a focus on short-term profits that only benefit highly-paid executives.
This week a Senate Inquiry heard from airlines on a proposed "pay-on-delay" bill, but the TWU says after-the-fact measures won't change root causes of declining aviation standards.
TWU National Assistant Secretary Emily McMillan said:
"The pandemic showed us how vulnerable our aviation industry is to sudden shocks. Here we are again with an incident throwing aviation out of balance, with workers and passengers caught up in the process."
"Aviation needs to be stable enough to deal with sudden shocks like this, but in its current state of crisis we are nowhere near that. Around the country workers are critically understaffed, they've got no work-life balance and it's become a revolving door of workers-and still they're expected to turn around and deal with crises when they crop up.
"Without a system in place to lift standards, retain workers and ensure aviation works in the interest of the entire community, workers and passengers will continue to bear the brunt of these incidents.
"As an island nation we are so reliant on aviation for travel, tourism, community, healthcare and business. It's time we had a system that can ensure we balance all that, instead of bulldozing towards short-term profits that only line executives' pockets."
