MUA port pay dispute: Union offers peace deal to end go-slow
The Maritime Union says it will formally offer a peace deal at a Fair Work Commission hearing today to end a waterfront dispute on the ports which threatened medical supplies from entering Australia.
NSW
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The Maritime Union will offer a peace deal at a Fair Work Commission hearing today to end a waterfront dispute with the Patrick Terminal at Port Botany which threatens medical supplies from entering Australia.
In a statement, the MUA said its proposal would “see the company’s existing workplace agreement extended for 12 months, maintaining the status quo with existing terms and conditions, while providing a reasonable 2.5 per cent pay rise to wharfies.”
The industrial action at the company’s container terminals could immediately end if the terms are agreed to, it said.
The union had been demanding an annual six per cent pay rise for the next four years for its members and banned overtime and filling in for senior roles as part of the dispute.
Currently on average a full time employee at Port Botany on a 35 hour roster already earns $172,124 a year inclusive of bonuses and overtime, while someone on a 31.5 hour roster earns $145,183.
Workers receive 12 per cent superannuation, have five weeks annual leave and get a rostered week off every eighth week after completing 35 shifts.
MUA National Assistant Secretary Paul Garrett on Wednesday denied the union had said a six per cent pay rise was the only way forward, instead insisting workers were always open to negotiations.
“What’s been offered today has been offered previously and has been a standing narrative for a while,” he told 2GB. “It’s called negotiations for a reason.”
Anthony Albanese refused to condemn the wharfies go-slow on Tuesday despite cancer specialists warning the stoush would have a “shocking” impact on patients.
The Labor leader wedged himself as he tried to avoid either backing or criticising the Maritime Union of Australia’s actions at Port Botany, which PM Scott Morrison described as “extortion”.
One Labor MP suggested MUA national secretary Paddy Crumlin was one of Mr Albanese’s closest allies, which was fuelling his reluctance to criticise the union. “It was well known that Albo always did the bidding of the MUA (in government),” they said.
Another Labor source, who described the union’s actions in the middle of a pandemic as “beyond belief,” also said Mr Albanese had close ties to the MUA.
Mr Albanese said “no one” wanted industrial action, but asked if he believed terminal operator Patrick or the MUA should “back down” in the escalating wage dispute, he repeatedly avoided a straight answer.
“There should be dialogue in the interests of both parties coming together, rather than conflict,” he said.
Patrick has argued the MUA’s industrial action has led to three-week delays in ships docking at Port Botany, which pharmaceutical companies have warned threatens the integrity of Australia’s medicine supply chain.
Private Cancer Physicians of Australia president Dr Christopher Steer said specialists were already concerned about the impact delays would have on treatment.
“For any industrial dispute to now put patient access at risk … especially during a health crisis, is quite shocking,” he said. “Cancer medicines, in particular the new biologics and biosimilars, are very sensitive to temperature change and are at risk of deteriorating if kept too long at sea, even in refrigerated containers.”
The Daily Telegraph can also reveal Arrotex Australia chief Dennis Bastas has told the federal government overseas shipping companies are “refusing” to load medicine on ships bound for Australia because they’re worried the stock will be “stuck” due to union activity.
Mr Bastas warned if the MUA’s lawful industrial actions at Port Botany continued even for a few more days, there would be “four to six week” delays in medicine deliveries across Australia.
The company provides 25 per cent of the volume of medicines on the PBS but says suppliers in Asia and Europe don’t want to risk containers being caught in Australia.
“At present container yards in Sydney are full of empty containers that are not being returned … this will lead to delays in manufacturing of our orders and ultimately stock shortages,” Mr Bastas wrote.
Mr Morrison on Tuesday urged the MUA to “stop the extortion” for the good of the nation in the pandemic, launching a blistering attack on the “militant” activity at the port.
“There are 40 ships, and I’m told there are some 90,000 containers out there,” he said. “That includes medical supplies. That is reprehensible.”
In a sign of rising tensions two MUA members on a jetski filmed themselves hurling abuse at port workers who were not taking part in the industrial action. Police were called in to monitor the situation as seen in a video shared on the Maritime Union of Australia’s Sydney Branch Facebook page.
“Comrades, once again these filthy scabs have crossed the picket line, they’ve got on the phone to the NSW Police scab protection division trying to outsmart us,” one man on the video said. “Well the MUA will always outsmart a scab.”
The video then cuts to shots of the men yelling “filthy scab” at workers travelling past on boats, before the NSW Police appear. “Here the scab protection is out in force again,” the MUA member says as the police boat pulled up.
Union members have planned a strike at Port Botany on Friday.
MUA national secretary Paddy Crumlin denied industrial actions at Port Botany had caused the delays and said the union had a longstanding formal agreement that medicines and fresh agriculture products would be exempted from any industrial activity.
“This is absolute nonsense,” he said. “The only reason there are a few bottlenecks in Botany is that (Patrick) had a maintenance campaign and … cut through an electrical cable and shut the joint down for 48-hours.”
The union is demanding an annual six per cent pay rise for the next four years for its members, who earn up to $172,000 a year, and has banned overtime and filling in for senior roles as part of the dispute.
Members have planned a strike at Port Botany on Friday.
Currently on average a full time employee at Port Botany on a 35 hour roster already earns $172,124 a year inclusive of bonuses and overtime, while someone on a 31.5 hour roster earns $145,183.
Workers receive 12 per cent superannuation, have five weeks annual leave and get a rostered week off every eighth week after completing 35 shifts.
Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus said the MUA wanted to settle the dispute “fairly and quickly”. “They have not and will not block exports for farmers or imports of medical supplies,” she said. “It’s time to stop the games, we all have enough to worry about without their scaremongering.”