Airport delays are likely on August 19 as quarantine workers take industrial action.

Quarantine staff will walk off the job for 4 hours at all major Australian international airports from 6am on Friday morning over stalled pay negotiations for Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) employees.

CPSU National Secretary Nadine Flood said inbound international travellers should be prepared for delays, and urged people collecting passengers to factor this into their plans.

The industrial action is also expected to impact on other DAFF services including cargo inspections, the release of imported goods and x-ray screening of international mail. CPSU members have given DAFF seven days notice of the Protected Action, as required by Fair Work Australia.

“Taking protected action is a last resort for DAFF staff, but we have been driven to this by the lack of progress on negotiations, and the refusal of the Federal Government to offer a pay deal that will not leave staff worse off after three years,” Ms Flood said.

Friday’s protected action is part of growing dissatisfaction within the public service about the way the Federal Government is handling pay negotiations.

Over the last month, over 80,000 staff in agencies such as the Immigration Department (DIAC), Customs, the Tax Office and Defence have voted overwhelmingly to reject new enterprise agreements because they contained low pay offers and in some places cuts to conditions.

“We are working hard with management in a range of agencies to try and find a path to agreement. But unfortunately the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) and the Special Minister of State are blocking genuinely-negotiated proposals that both management and unions are satisfied with,” Ms Flood said.