Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Australians and international travelers have on Wednesday been warned to expect major delays at international airports next Friday, as members of Australia's Border Force (ABF) and the Department of Immigration prepare to take industrial action.

The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has announced that,  as a result of a breakdown in negotiations with the federal government over pay and conditions, its members will be on strike for 24 hours on Aug. 12.

The industrial action was previously scheduled to occur in April, however, a Fair Work Commission ruling disallowed the CPSU' s members from taking industrial action for three months in the wake of the Brussels Airport terror attack.

A spokesperson from the CPSU said while border security and counter-terrorism would not be compromised as a result of the action, travelers should expect - and take into account - potential delays.

"Despite Border Force's cynical tactics in the Fair Work Commission prior to the election, our members are 100 percent committed to national security and their action will not compromise the safety of passengers in any way," CPSU national secretary Nadine Flood said on Wednesday.

She said the Turnbull government has had years to prevent such action, as the CPSU has been in pay negotiations for more than two years. Flood said she had written to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, urging him to agree to terms and end the impasse.

"Prime Minister Turnbull can avert future strike action, including the prospect of broader industrial action across the Commonwealth public sector, by working with us to fix this mess," Flood told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 

Source:
courtesy of XINHUA NEWS AGENCY

by Xinhua News Agency

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