Patrick Terminal, a container terminal operator, has submitted an application to the Fair Labor Commission to thwart ongoing industrial activity at four ports.
Patrick, who handles about 40% of container cargo at the ports of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, is underway by the Australian Maritime Union (MUA) because it threatens to cause serious damage to the Australian economy. I applied for the end of industrial activities.
“Since May, our terminals have faced a relentless barrage of ongoing industrial activity by MUA, affecting all terminal users, including importers, exporters and shipping companies.” Said Patrick CEO Michael Jovicic. Said On November 8, “The delays are widening and we have continuously called on MUA to negotiate without damaging industrial activities.”
According to Patrick, cargo handling workers have failed to negotiate with MUA at more than 70 meetings since February 2020. MUA launched more than 220 industrial activities at all four ports during the negotiations.
Port workers planned to strike 12 hours every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday throughout October at the Port of Melbourne alone. Later, after two cases of COVID-19 were detected, they were stopped, hundreds of workers were quarantined, and surgery was burdened.
“The last two years have been particularly difficult for all parties in the entire supply chain, and industrial activity has impacted Australia’s COVID economic recovery,” said Jovicic.
“For our economy, we need to make our supply chain function efficiently again, and there is no doubt that ongoing industrial activity is not in the best interests of Australia’s recovery.”
under Fair Labor Law 424Protected industrial activities may be terminated if determined to be “threatening, threatening or threatening to seriously damage the Australian economy”.
The MUA said Patrick Terminal is acting “warlike and maliciously” in court rather than negotiating with workers.
“The business is booming with Patrick’s parent company being recognized in a recent annual report,” said Jamie Newlin, MUA’s assistant national secretary. Said.. Volumes are increasing, profits are increasing, and executive bonuses are flowing. This is not a poor business or industry. “
Meanwhile, Tony Mahar, CEO of the Australian Federation of Farmers I have written The Australian Financial Review states that the international freight supply chain is jeopardizing the country’s economic recovery.
But he said the controversy between Patrick and MUA was “only part of the broader problem that plagues the supply chain.”
Mahal accused the freight supply chain of “working against Australia’s national interests,” but the union “requested exorbitant wages and working conditions, and ransom if the freight end user got lost. Is demanding. “
Andrew McKellar, CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce, said MUA’s industrial activities are monetary, as workers are already paid an average of $ 172,000 (US $ 127,000) annually in just 200 days of work. Said not.
“In reality, MUA optimistically increases pressure to maintain a grip on port operations, recruit family and friends, while wasting all means for a more flexible and responsive workforce. “We do,” said McKeller.
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