ASU calls on Government to act on air rage

The ASU has once again lodged a submission for the Federal Aviation Policy Review as a follow up to our original submission in July 2008. As the largest union in the Aviation industry in Australia we have raised key issues of Aviation Safety, Security and Foreign ownership in our submission.

The Government’s Green Paper addressed a number of the points we made in our original contribution but in key areas like the safety of staff at airports the Green Paper brushes over the significant concerns ASU members have about air rage at Australia’s airports.

We have called on the Government to mirror their proposed “Travellers Charter” with a plan for airport workers who deserve a reciprocal set of rights and responsibilities from passengers who travel.

The ASU submission says that a safe workplace at airports requires:
a. Adequate signage warning passengers the air rage is not acceptable behaviour.
b. Higher penalties for offenders of air rage.
c. Greater consumer protections and communication to ensure consumers are aware about the extent of the service provided and any additional costs that may be incurred at check in.
d. A greater police presence in the check in area.

Securing the supply chain must be a priority.

We highlighted again the view of ASU members that the security of the supply chain was important for workers in air cargo and freight who continue to experience staff shortages, time constraints and a lack of experienced handlers which leads to significant difficulties in air cargo security.

We say that while Australia should ensure that there are criminal checks on employees through the ASIC system, the security gaps in air cargo and domestic terminal check-in should be a priority as well. Anything less is populist policy that uses workers as the scapegoats for poor investment in security at our airports.

Maintain the standards

We also caution the Government about their open skies policy. The ASU remains concerned that unfettered open skies leads to offshoring and threatens safety standards and so must be pursued with caution.

We suggest that the Government needs to factor in the willingness of international carriers, their subsidiaries and related companies to abide by Australian labour and environmental standards. The message needs to be clear if airlines are to access the Australian market they do so abiding by Australian conditions and anything less than that will affect those access rights to Australian routes.

What’s next?

 Our full submission can be downloaded here.

Many others have also made submissions and the Government will consider these and prepare a National Aviation Policy White Paper which is due for release in the latter half of 2009.

We hope the Government will pick up some of the recommendations we make.