Security screening staff at Perth Airport's Qantas terminal have gone on strike for 48 hours after their employer locked out staff and refused a union wage demand.
The workers, who say they have been offered lower wages than their Melbourne counterparts, started the industrial action mid-afternoon on Tuesday.
Contractor MSS Security and union United Voice attempted to thrash out a new wage deal in the Fair Work Commission last week after six months of negotiations, but there was no resolution.
United Voice assistant secretary Pat O'Donnell said the workers had been offered a 3.2 per cent wage increase each year for four years, which they did not accept.
The union has called for a pay increase of eight per cent, six per cent and six per cent a year over three years, plus increases in shift allowances and weekend penalties, but MSS Security has ruled out the demand.
The stoush escalated on Tuesday when MSS Security handed lockout notices to five security screening staff for attending a stopwork meeting.
During ensuing Fair Work Commission meetings, MSS Security agreed to suspend the lockouts but resumed them on Friday night.
On Tuesday morning, the company locked out 14 workers.
Mr O'Donnell described MSS Security's actions as extreme and disproportionate, saying the industrial stoppage would result in nearly all of the security screening workforce walking off the job.
"Aviation screeners working for MSS at Perth Airport are struggling to support their families and fear they will be pushed out of their jobs simply because the company won't pay them fairly," Mr O'Donnell said.
Qantas said the action had not disrupted flights, and no delays were expected as MSS Security had staffing contingency plans in place.
MSS Security did not return calls.
