Skydiving instructors across three Australian states have taken unprecedented industrial action, walking off the job in a bitter pay dispute that has grounded dozens of flights during a peak tourism period.
Strike Grounds Flights During Busy Season
Instructors employed by tourism giant Experience Co at eight sites in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria went on strike on Friday. The action comes after ten months of stalled negotiations for the company's first-ever enterprise agreement, which covers 129 skydivers. The disruption hits at one of the busiest times of the year for the industry, with many customers having booked jumps as Christmas gifts.
Safety Concerns and 'Gig Worker' Fears
The Australian Workers' Union (AWU) has framed the dispute as a critical safety issue. National organiser Jonathan Cook stated that tandem instructors literally hold people's lives in their hands every day. "Would you want your mum strapped to an underpaid instructor?" he asked, highlighting the perceived risks of underpayment.
The union alleges that most instructors have seen little to no base wage increase in decades. It claims Experience Co's latest proposals would effectively turn skilled employees into precarious 'gig workers' by removing productivity-based bonuses that were introduced when skydivers were brought in-house in 2022. The AWU says this could leave some instructors with base salaries of around $50,000 and others facing pay cuts of up to $100,000.
Company Rejects Claims, Blames 'Militant' Union
Experience Co has strongly rejected the union's characterisation of its offers. Chief Executive John O'Sullivan blamed "militant union bosses" for the disruptive action, stating the company was at a loss to understand the strike given the strength of its proposals.
The company insists its offers included six-figure salary packages that would make its employees among the highest-paid in the industry. O'Sullivan described Skydive Australia as effectively a small business employing mostly young people in regional areas, arguing the union's demands would add unviable costs.
Customers affected by the strike are being contacted directly and offered alternative booking dates or full refunds. This marks the first time skydiving instructors have taken strike action in Australia, signalling a significant escalation in the long-running pay dispute.
