Customs and quarantine workers in several Australian airports plan a brief strike Tuesday to protest a pay dispute with the federal government.

The one-hour job walkoff disrupted air travel, leading to delayed processing of travelers and missed flights. Melbourne Airport urged passengers to arrive earlier than usual.

Particularly affected are football fans traveling to Melbourne to watch the AFL Grand Final.

Although the industrial action is expected to last one hour, it is a rolling strike with the first action slated 7 to 8 a.m., the second 3 to 4 p.m. and the third 9 to 10 p.m.

The customs and quarantine workers belonging to the Community and Public Sector Union and Customs earlier rejected a 3 per cent pay increase yearly for the next three years because it would not keep up with inflation.

"This is one of our busiest weekends of the year with tens of thousands of people traveling around Australia for the football and for the school holidays on Friday alone. ... The union knows this and they are trying to cause maximum disruptions to passengers," Melbourne Airport spokeswoman Anna Gillett told the Herald Sun.

The strikes hit the Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Perth and Adelaide airports. But a spokeswoman for Brisbane Airport Corp., which operates Queensland's international gateway, said only three flights in the morning from the Changi Airport in Singapore were delayed, but it was not due to the strike.

The Tuesday walkout was preceded by a strike last week of Qantas' baggage handlers, ground crew, catering staff and engineers.

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