Auckland Airport warns 69 firefighters to strike for better pay

The emergency services team at Auckland Airport comprises 69 staff members, all of whom are covered by a new strike notice. The union E tū filed the notice last week, setting two 24-hour walkouts for November 24 and November 27. Both actions will begin at 6:00 a.m.

Auckland Airport chief operations officer Chloe Surridge confirmed the notice covers the entire Airport Emergency Services group. The airport requires qualified rescue and firefighting personnel on duty for flights to operate. If the strikes proceed, flights may be cancelled or diverted. Surridge stated this would cause significant disruption to tens of thousands of travelers, as well as airlines, freight operations, exporters, and other businesses that depend on the hub.

E tū assistant national secretary Mat Danaher said the workers seek pay that reflects their specialist duties. The union also requests fair compensation for two five-day training trips to Singapore each year. Firefighters must complete these trips to meet Civil Aviation Authority requirements.

The airport is currently reviewing contingency options to limit the impact of the potential walkouts. Surridge advised travelers to contact their airlines directly for the most current information regarding their specific flights.