Maersk ships targeted as port strikes escalate
Ships carrying supplies into Australia will be blocked from entering ports over the next two weeks as tug boat operators escalate work bans around the country.
The Maritime Union of Australia has notified a series of
24-hour protected strikes at major ports against tug boat operator Svitzer,
owned by one of the world’s biggest shipping operators, Maersk, in protest over
its bid to change conditions.
The campaign kicked off with a 12-hour strike at Melbourne
and Western Port last Friday and will continue with 24-hour strikes at
Fremantle and Kwinana in West Australia this Thursday and Friday and on to NSW
and South Australia.
MUA president and incoming CFMEU national secretary Christy
Cain told a rally of hundreds of unionists in Melbourne on Friday, “they’ve
attacked us, and we’re going to f---ing attack them”.
“So now it’s on. We’re going to be moving from port to port
to port, from Melbourne to Sydney to Fremantle to Newcastle coal terminals to
Adelaide to Port Kembla,” he said.
“All around this country. We’re in a f---ing blue until we
get a proper union agreement signed off with what we deserve.”
He warned that “we’re not going to miss Maersk either”,
noting the protected action options cover indefinite bans on all Maersk vessels
coming into Australia.
“They will be missing their f---ing windows because they
have put us to task. Every Maersk ship that comes into Australia will be
getting 24 [hour bans], 24 and 24.”
Svitzer is one of two main tugboat operators responsible for
hauling ships into port, with a fleet of more than 100 tugs and more than 1000
seafarers. Deckhands on tugs earn about $130,000 a year on a 26-week-a-year
roster.
The company is seeking to remove conditions that grant
casuals and recalled permanent employees a full day’s wage with 100 per cent
loading for just two hours’ work. It also wants to reduce fixed crew levels
which it says add substantial costs.
But the MUA’s national executive is refusing to enter
discussions with Svitzer about the claims, which it sees as an attack on
workers’ rights, and there has been little progress in the two years of
bargaining during which there have already been 30 instances of industrial
action.
Svitzer said it was disappointed the MUA continued to take
protected industrial action “which is adversely impacting shipping movements in
ports across Australia and contributing to delays to the import and export of
critical goods and supplies”.
The company said its “modest” changes are aimed at “reducing
unnecessary costs to remain competitive in an increasingly challenging market”.
“We need a new enterprise agreement, which will allow us to
compete in the future while continuing to offer good jobs on market-leading
conditions. This can only be achieved around the negotiating table.”
The MUA said “community protesters” would also target
Svitzer’s move to axe its entire Geelong workforce late last year due to
reduced volumes. Last month the company restarted its Geelong operations with a
labour-hire outfit that struck a non-union deal with just three workers in
Perth in November.
Freight & Trade Alliance director Paul Zalai said the 24-hour
strikes came on top of rising congestion and weeks of stoppages and overtime
bans at Patrick stevedores, which he said had led to a 25 per cent reduction in
containers serviced by rail.
“If the Svitzer action is expanded and prolonged it will
have devastating economic impacts,” he said.
“We are really struggling now with huge demand for import
and export goods so any delays in berthing is just going to exacerbate the
problems. Shipping lines may be left with no choice but to skip ports to keep
international schedules.”
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