Airbus employees contracted to Richmond RAAF Base finished their seventh day of strike action today, with more than 80 employees gathering outside the front gate of the base this morning.
Part of the Fixed Wing Program for Airbus the aircraft maintenance personnel are striking over their workplace agreement as they negotiate a 2.4 per cent wage increase.
A spokesperson on site at the stop work strike this morning said their wages and entitlements have been at the crux of negotiations.
Represented by the Australian Workers Union, they have been trying to negotiate the terms of their agreement since June and have taken the matter to the Fair Work Commission on more than one occasion.
“Planned strike action is the last thing any of us wanted to do,” the spokesperson said.
The employees AWU spokesperson, Paul Farrow said that the staff involved in the strike are part of an industry who hasn’t taken part in industrial action in over 20 years.
He said they are men and women who take pride in their work and are only asking for what they consider to be a fair wage increase.
“We are hoping to sit down with the company next week and come to an agreement so that everyone can get back to work.”
If an agreement cannot be reached Mr Farrow said staff had plans to continue their industrial action into next week.
