AAP
Air traffic controllers call on employer to avoid strike
MELBOURNE, June 11 AAP|Published: Tuesday June 11, 3:50 PM
Air traffic controllers called on their employer today to re-enter talks in a bid to avert a five-hour strike planned for Friday.
The union representing more than 1,100 air traffic controllers has voted to stop work at 32 locations across the country from 4pm (AEST).
The strike would affect all state and territory capitals, with the exception of the military-run Darwin International Airport.
Disruptions were caused by similar stop-work meetings before Easter this year, forcing airlines to reschedule flights across the country.
Civil Air Operations Officers Association president Ted Lang said a "simple phone call" from Air Services Australia (ASA) confirming their return to negotiations would be enough to prevent the shutdown.
Mr Lang said ASA had refused "without reason" last Friday to continue negotiations over corporatisation, fatigue, rostering, reduced job opportunities and job security.
"From our perspective we call on Air Services to continue talks," Mr Lang told reporters in Melbourne.
"We are reluctant to proceed with the stop-work because it is not our aim to disrupt the travelling public.
"All we ask is that they listen to our proposal and hold meaningful discussion."
Mr Lang also called on federal Transport Minister John Anderson to come clean over the future of air traffic control in Australia from July 1.
He said the corporatisation plan suggested by the minister proposed to establish a subsidiary called Airport Services.
And there were indications that Coffs Harbour and Maroochydore towers would close for the simple reason that they were not profitable, he said.
"At a place like Maroochydore, which is about to get Singapore Airlines international flight crew training, it flies in the face of anything the minister has suggested in the past that he is looking after regional areas."
Air traffic control centres in Perth, Adelaide and Sydney would be centralised in Melbourne under the plan, Mr Lang said.
The centralised approach had been dropped in the United States and United Kingdom because of serious operational and safety implications, and could cost the jobs of up to 150 staff, he said.