Last Friday the AFP made a s424 application to the Fair Work Commission for PIA at seven airports to be terminated or suspended. After many hours of negotiation, the AFPA gave the AFP an Undertaking to alleviate their concerns over safety and successfully defended the right for members to take industrial action. However, the AFP’s interpretation of that Undertaking was fundamentally different from that of the AFPA’s in regard to providing a list of members for the PIA. The AFPA’s view was it required a list of all members who worked at those airports, as opposed to the AFP’s view that it required a list of all members who will be taking part on the PIA, something the AFPA would never agree to. As such the AFP filed a further s418 application for any PIA to be stopped. This was opposed by the AFPA on Monday and ultimately dismissed by the Fair Work Commission.
The AFP then proceeded to make a second s424 application, in which sense prevailed and the AFPA providing a further Undertaking acceptable to the AFP allowing the PIA action at the airports on Tuesday, and a further three stations on Wednesday in the ACT to proceed.
This is the first time in the history of the AFP that members have been permitted to walk off the job and we thank all those members who have participated (and will in the future participate) in the PIA. We will asking members to walk off the job again in the future and will be sending out notification at that time
Last Friday the AFP made a s424 application to the Fair Work Commission for PIA at seven airports to be terminated or suspended. After many hours of negotiation, the AFPA gave the AFP an Undertaking to alleviate their concerns over safety and successfully defended the right for members to take industrial action. However, the AFP’s interpretation of that Undertaking was fundamentally different from that of the AFPA’s in regard to providing a list of members for the PIA. The AFPA’s view was it required a list of all members who worked at those airports, as opposed to the AFP’s view that it required a list of all members who will be taking part on the PIA, something the AFPA would never agree to. As such the AFP filed a further s418 application for any PIA to be stopped. This was opposed by the AFPA on Monday and ultimately dismissed by the Fair Work Commission.
The AFP then proceeded to make a second s424 application, in which sense prevailed and the AFPA providing a further Undertaking acceptable to the AFP allowing the PIA action at the airports on Tuesday, and a further three stations on Wednesday in the ACT to proceed.
This is the first time in the history of the AFP that members have been permitted to walk off the job and we thank all those members who have participated (and will in the future participate) in the PIA. We will asking members to walk off the job again in the future and will be sending out notification at that time
