Maritime Union of Australia backs down in Patrick Terminal dispute

The maritime union has backed down in its fight for better pay for wharfies after it was accused of “extortion” by the Prime Minister.

The maritime union has backed down in its fight for better pay for wharfies after it was accused of “extortion” by the Prime Minister.

A two-day marathon conciliation hearing in the Fair Work Commission ended Thursday with both sides claiming the other had rejected reasonable offers.

The Maritime Union of Australia said it would back down from industrial action relating to the dispute with Patrick Terminal at Sydney’s Port Botany until the next hearing in front of the FWC in October.

Patrick claimed a win, saying the union rejected a “generous” offer of 1.5 per cent pay increases over four years, with no changes to employment conditions.

“I remain dumbfounded as to what the hell is going on here. We are in a parallel universe”, Patrick CEO Michael Jovicic told reporters outside the FWC office in Sydney.

The MUA says its “peace offer” of a 2.5 per cent increase was rejected by Patrick, calling the terminal’s FWC application an “attack on workers”.

Maritime Union of Australia assistant branch secretary for Sydney Paul Garrett, middle, said the terminal’s offer is an ‘attack on workers’. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Anton Nilsson

“We’re not in a position to trade off wages for security of employment. Wharfies have worked non-stop through COVID, they’ve worked non-stop all week and they’ll continue to work non-stop,” MUA Sydney assistant branch secretary Paul Garrett said.

In a statement after the hearing, Patrick Terminal stuck to its claims that containers of medical supplies had been delayed by union action, claims the MUA have denied. Mr Jovicic clarified to reporters he was aware of only one such container, a shipment of diabetes medicine whose freight forwarder called for assistance on Thursday morning.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly weighed into the dispute, calling the union’s behaviour “extraordinary and appalling” and even refusing to rule out sending in troops to settle the dispute.

Scott Morrison has also repeated the claim essential supplies were held up.

Responding to the Prime Minister, Mr Garrett said: “During COVID he said he would come out and defend jobs and support jobs, and all he’s done is attack workers. Quite frankly he should apologise to waterfront workers.”

The MUA originally demanded a 6 per cent pay increase, but as negotiations have progressed, it has set its sights on an increase closer to 2-2.5 per cent a year.

MUA national secretary Paddy Crumlin said he was dismayed the company rejected its peace offering.

“Our formal offer to the Fair Work Commission had no strings attached, it would simply have seen the existing workplace agreement that Patrick previously negotiated continue, resolving the current dispute and allowing a process of genuine negotiation to commence,” Mr Crumlin said.

“The company rejected that offer, even when we offered to extend it for two years, instead insisting that workers either accept a massive increase to the use of casual, rather than permanent workers, or pay rises well below the industry standard.

“We will not accept a highly profitable company using the cover of the COVID crisis to strip away the job security of productive, hardworking wharfies, replacing quality jobs with precarious casual employment.”

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