They say third time is lucky and let's hope that's the case at the Broome International Airport where we are trying to stitch up a union collective agreement.

We've already had two shots and each time the Airport management has beaten us off by getting a majority of ALL EMPLOYEES to vote for their workplace agreements.

All employees included office staff, managers, refuellers, security, metal trades, maintenance workers, etc and our people - the baggage handlers, ramp and ground crews.

However, since then a lot of water has gone under the bridge and plenty of planes have taken off from the Broome air strip.

As The Wheel went to press we had held meetings with most of the above group and received overwhelming support.

Management's stingy pay offer of 2% a year certainly helped our cause because most of the troops are fed up with being fed peanuts.

Our claim is for an immediate $2.00 per hour pay rise plus the entitlements that were stolen away under Little Johnny Howard's workplace agreements.

These include:

• Restoration of overtime payments including time and a half and double time where applicable.
• Double time and a half on Public Holidays
• Triple time at Christmas & Easter
• 17.5% Annual Leave Loading
• Night & Afternoon Shift Penalties
• Minimum call out of three or four hours where applicable

With all the economic activity and massive projects underway in the Pilbara and Kimberley regions, Broome Airport is going to get busier and busier.

And we don't see why the people who run it should have to put up with Third World employment conditions.

We don't want a fight but we are gearing up for one and don't intend backing off if there is one.

At this point protected industrial action is well and truly on the cards.