The bumpy ride continues for Qantas as strike action looms. 

Industrial action over safety and staffing levels at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is on the cards, threatening to disrupt national aviation operations.

The federal aviation engineering union has filed for protected industrial action (PIA) at the Fair Work Commission due to chronic understaffing and perceived compromises in safety standards. 

Frontline aviation inspectors, represented by Professionals Australia, assert that CASA has ignored repeated warnings regarding staffing shortages and inadequate training, resulting in a decline in aviation safety checks and overall safety.

CASA's technical staff, including aviation safety regulators, flight training examiners, and flying operations inspectors, play a pivotal role in ensuring compliance with both Australian and international aviation regulations, preventing corners from being cut, and averting accidents.

These concerns are further exacerbated by a recent Australian National Audit Office report, cited by Professionals Australia, which revealed a substantial 31 per cent drop in CASA's surveillance activities between 2017/18 and 2020/21.

The aviation inspectors' strike application underscores a broader issue within the Australian Public Service - a dispute over standards, conditions, and compensation, aggravated by the sector's loss of talent to the private industry. 

Professionals Australia is advocating for a separate industrial agreement for CASA's technical workforce to address these issues. 

The union is also pushing for a distinct STEM classification, akin to efforts in the Defense sector, to retain specialised talent within the public sector.

The union says it has written to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) ahead of an upcoming audit of CASA in mid-September to discuss their concerns regarding the aviation safety regime overseen by CASA.