New cars bypass Melbourne over Webb Dock dispute

WATERFRONT workers at Webb Dock will walk off the job today in an ongoing industrial dispute that will impact the supply of new cars coming in to the Port of Melbourne.

WATERFRONT workers at Webb Dock will walk off the job today in an ongoing industrial dispute that will impact the supply of new cars coming in to the Port of Melbourne.

The Maritime Union of Australia will launch a four-day strike at the port’s car terminal on Thursday morning after Qube Ports applied to terminate their current enterprise agreement with workers.

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The strike action is expected to delay boats carrying cars bound for Victoria and several ships will not call in to Melbourne while the MIRRAT terminal is being picketed.

There are about 145 Qube employees currently working at the terminal.

The industrial action will impact the supply of new cars coming in to the Port of Melbourne. Picture: Michael Klein

Qube Ports director Michael Sousa said the company had spent more than two years negotiating with union delegates over 43 meetings.

“We have moved from having to reduce pay to being able to offer pay rises of close to 10 per cent over the next four years,” he said.

“The MUA are demanding the reintroduction of a uneconomic roster which has not been in use since 2014.”

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Tensions escalated between the groups two weeks ago when Qube Ports made an application to tear up the current enterprise arrangement, sparking a snap strike and rolling workplace bans.

Mr Sousa said the ongoing dispute had forced the company’s hand.

“If Qube’s application is accepted by the Fair Work Commission we will seek to renegotiate a new enterprise agreement in line with the Award,” he said.

A spokesman for the MUA said Qube Ports had aggressively attacked their workers and their union.

Containers stacked up high at Webb Dock unable to leave because of an industrial dispute. Pic: Michael Klein

“Qube have provoked a dispute with the MUA by applying to have the enterprise agreement terminated,” he said.

“The MUA will not stand by and let our members be the subject to this attempt to cut their wages in half.

“The Qube members are taking legal industrial action and will stand up and fight back against this vicious attack by employers.

The MUA have asked for a pay increase and roster changes that include allowing for staff to work seven weeks on and one week off.

It comes after more than a thousands wharfies walked off the job in December when a casual worker was denied shifts at the Victorian International Container Terminal.

The industrial action left containers carrying a range of goods stranded at the port in the weeks leading up to Christmas.