Tourist hotspots hit as Skydive Australia instructors strike for a second day amid pay dispute

Skydiving at some of Australia’s most iconic dropzones has been brought to a halt for a second day as instructors extend their unprecedented strike.

Australia’s skydiving industry has plunged into a second day of turmoil as tandem instructors press on with their historic strike over pay disputes.

The walk-off has grounded jumps at Skydive Australia dropzones, some of the nation’s most popular tourist hotspots, and piled fresh pressure onto employer Experience Co.

What began as a 24-hour walk-off on Friday has rolled into Saturday after workers across Queensland, NSW and Victoria voted to extend industrial action, accusing the company of trying to gut wages and undermine safety standards in an industry built on trust.

AWU members voted unanimously in favour of protected industrial action, warning that cutting wages not only undermines their livelihoods but also safety.

Instructors are expected to return to work on Sunday, but the dispute is set to escalate again on Monday, when AWU delegates meet with Experience Co’s HR team to hear the company’s long-awaited revised offer.

AWU Southern District Organiser Michael Anderson said on Saturday they had been told to expect the offer by close of business Friday, but it never arrived.

“Ex Co advised the AWU that a revised position is likely to be tabled Monday,” Mr Anderson told NewsWire.

“AWU members are considering their options with continued industrial action likely if Ex Co continue to treat their employees with total disregard.”

The strike follows nearly 10 months of stalled negotiations for the first enterprise agreement covering Experience Co’s 130 skydiving instructors, many of whom have completed thousands of jumps and years of intensive safety training.

Major dropzones, including Mission Beach, Byron Bay, Noosa, and St Kilda, have been forced to cancel or reschedule jumps. Picture instagram / Skydive Australia

The AWU said the company has repeatedly put forward wage proposals that would push workers backwards despite recording its strongest financial results since 2019.

One offer included a cut of up to $100,000 a year for some instructors, while the latest proposal would slash the minimum annual wage from $57,000 to $49,000 and tie earnings to what the union calls a “very low” per-jump piece-rate.

AWU National Organiser Jonathan Cook said the cuts would not only hurt workers, but put customers at risk.

“Tandem skydiving instructors literally take people’s lives in their hands every time they go to work,” Mr Cook said.

“If you’re not investing in your people, you’re undermining the trust that the industry has built up over years.

“Experience Co’s message is clear. They want to turn these skilled professionals into gig workers, paid less, working more, and carrying the same enormous responsibility.”

The AWU said members returned a unanimous 100 per cent vote in favour of protected industrial action.

Despite sunny skies and ideal conditions for jumping, instructors remain grounded outside dropzones, calling for better pay and job security. Picture: Supplied

Instructors gathered in front of local dropzones, urging the skydiving industry and regulators to address pay disparities. Picture: Supplied

Experience Co, which employs more than 1000 staff across tourism destinations including Noosa, Airlie Beach, Mission Beach and Byron Bay, has condemned the strike as irresponsible and disruptive, particularly during the pre-Christmas tourism rush.

Chief executive John O’Sullivan said the company had worked to reschedule customers and minimise interruptions, but criticised the union for escalating tensions during one of the busiest periods of the year.

“Thanks to the hard work of our team and the patience and understanding of our customers and partners we have managed to accommodate most changes so they can enjoy a safe and unforgettable experience,” Mr O’Sullivan said in a statement.

“Even so, we share their disappointment at the AWU for its unreasonable and irresponsible industrial action, which is disrupting customers and employees during one of the busiest periods of the year. We urge the AWU to reconsider its actions and put a stop to the reckless disruption it is causing.”

According to the AWU, many instructors have completed thousands of jumps and undergone extensive safety training, yet most have received little or no base wage increases in years. Picture instagram / Skydive Australia

Mr O’Sullivan said the company had offered job security and strong conditions, including “six figure salaries for tandem masters in popular locations,” but claimed the AWU rejected every proposal and responded with an ambit claim that would impose “massive costs” on a business still recovering from COVID-19.

“We are at a loss to understand this action given the strength of our offers,” he said.

“We call on the union to return to the bargaining table with reasonable expectations so we can come to an agreement as quickly as possible.”

Instructors plan to resume work tomorrow, but union members said they are prepared to continue industrial action if Monday’s meeting fails to deliver a fair deal.

The AWU said they won’t accept cuts that threaten safety, livelihoods, or the future of skydiving as a profession.

“Our members love what they do, but passion doesn’t pay rent,” Mr Cook said.

“The industry is going up, but wages and careers are going down and that’s dangerous.”

Originally published as Tourist hotspots hit as Skydive Australia instructors strike for a second day amid pay dispute