As Sydney plans to emerge from lockdown, over 500 security officers at Sydney Airport will not see a return to normal.

Their employer Certis Security is pressuring workers to vary their contract of employment, reducing their pay at a time when most are struggling. The proposed variation to minimum ordinary hours would see part-time employees receiving 15 hours per week and full-time employees 20 hours per week until at least 30 November 2021.

In some circumstances, workers are set to see their take-home pay reduced by almost $500 per week.

Quotes attributable to Damien Davie, United Workers Union Property Services Coordinator:

“Certis is a money-hungry profit-driven multinational company who has shown no care for its workforce at Sydney Airport throughout the pandemic.

“The question must be asked if the recent stand down has been legal as other aviation security providers in major ports such as Melbourne and Brisbane have supported workers and not stood people down.

“Certis admitted to using subcontractor Manpower Direct, who paid below the award, whilst standing down their own employees.

“The majority of airport operators are supporting their workforces as they prepare to see an increase in travellers over the upcoming Christmas period. Whilst Sydney Airport stands back and lets Certis try and take away workers’ hope in the reopening of the state.

“The Union is standing with our members to stop this change to their employment conditions.

“Sydney Airport is currently the subject of a takeover bid which the Union hopes is successful, a change of owners could see a new security contractor who cares about their people.”

Background

Late last year, Certis made over 200 employees redundant as a result of COVID-19. Workers feel let down by Certis, as at no stage during the pandemic have they supported their workforce financially or emotionally. For remaining staff, their current stand-down period ceased on 30 September 2021.

Certis Cisco, Singapore’s largest security organisation and major multinational, acquired the formerly Australian owned family business SNP (Sydney Night Patrol) Security in 2018 and combined it with their existing security business BRI to establish the sub-brand Certis Security Australia.

ENDS 

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