Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/22/2472038.htm

Air traffic controllers flag industrial action

The union representing Australia's air traffic controllers is recommending its members take industrial action because of failed wage negations.

Civil Air has held nine months of talks with the Government controlled employer Airservices but an agreement over pay has not been reached.

Airservices has offered a 4 per cent wage rise but the union is demanding an increase of 7 per cent.

Peter McGuane from Civil Air says controllers could begin industrial action in February.

"They've been working in difficult circumstances for a long period of time," he said.

"The organisation is chronically understaffed and so there's a constant reliance on people working overtime and working on their days off and they've become very frustrated about the inability to be able to reach an agreement with the employer.

"At the outset we were given indications by Airservices and particularly by the chief executive that he wanted to see a quick and early resolution to this process and I think it's an indication of their frustration at the length of time this has taken to try and resolve it."

The union says further talks are scheduled for February 3.