The aviation branch of the United Firefighters Union (UFU) will open a strike ballot to members today. A result is expected in two weeks.

Any industrial action could ground planes at Australian airports, including Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, the UFU says.

Cuts in staffing numbers at airports made during the COVID-19 pandemic were impacting safety standards, UFU Aviation branch secretary Wes Garrett said.

“At a major aircraft incident, our firefighters have three minutes to intervene, after which the chances of people surviving a major crash with internal fire is greatly reduced. There is no room for error,” he said.

“With people returning to the skies, we don’t have enough staff and right now, we can’t say, hand on heart, that if there was a fire, we’d be able to deal with it.”

The UFU is demanding employer federal government-owned Airservices Australia increase resources after it axed 94 firefighter jobs during the pandemic.

A vote on industrial action would be held in the next two weeks.

“We fully expect a yes vote to take strike action,” Garrett said.

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Any strike would likely begin in mid November or December and throw end-of-year holiday travel plans into disruption.

The union said it will continue to negotiate with Airservices Australia over the next two weeks.

An Airservices Australia spokesperson urged the union to end its strike ballot so the two sides could continue talks.

“Airservices Australia is currently in enterprise agreement (EA) negotiations with our Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service (ARFFS) employees and their representatives, the United Firefighters Union of Australia – Aviation Branch (UFUAV),” they said.

“Airservices continues to negotiate in good faith with the UFUAV to finalise a new EA. We have made a generous pay increase offer to the UFUA and are calling on them to abandon their strike ballot and return to negotiations.

“Airservices will take all steps necessary to prevent disruptions to flights as a result of the industrial action. Our priority is to ensure the safe and efficient continuation of our services to keep Australian aviation moving.

“Airservices will continue to respond to the safety needs of airlines, airports and the travelling public.”