Aussie border security workers to suspend strikes over "national security" fears

Australian Border Force (ABF) officials have on Monday caved to federal government pressure after they agreed to suspend strike action over fears about national security.

In the wake of the airport bombings in Belgium last month, members of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) have agreed to temporarily suspend any industrial action, pending a further decision from the Fair Work Commission.

CPSU members include immigration officials, border security officers and customs workers, all of whom had threatened to go on strike earlier this year because of an ongoing pay dispute.

Australia's Fair Work Commission enforced the temporary suspension on Monday, but will later this week determine whether or not the industrial action could "endanger the life, the personal safety or health, or the welfare, of the population or of part of it", with the likely outcome to be a three month suspension on the strikes.

A CPSU spokesperson said its members had once already suspended strike action because of "border security" threats, and that constant government requests for a suspension of action was a "serious threat to the rights of potentially thousands of CPSU members".

"The reality is this round of rolling strikes (will be) no different from previous industrial action. Our members are absolutely committed to the safety of our community and Australia's national security," the spokesperson said Monday.

The application for the suspension of the industrial action was filed by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection on behalf of the Australian government. Endit