MUA puts Patrick strikes on ice

The MUA has agreed to end rolling stoppages and bans at Patrick Terminals until next month as the company and the union resume negotiations.

The MUA gave an undertaking that it would not organise or notify any industrial action against Patrick before December 10. Picture: Monique Harmer

The Maritime Union of Australia has agreed to end rolling stoppages and bans at Patrick Terminals until next month as the company and the union resume negotiations over a new enterprise agreement.

Under an agreement reached in the Fair Work Commission on Wednesday, Patrick said it would withdraw its application to terminate industrial action by union members.

In return, the MUA gave an undertaking that it would not organise or notify any industrial action against Patrick before December 10.

Both moves will allow negotiations to resume in the hope that an agreement can be reached before December 10.

MUA assistant national secretary Jamie Newlyn said the union was “happy to see Patrick Terminals has finally returned to the negotiating table and looks forward to arriving at an agreement which both sides can be happy with”.

Patrick Terminals chief executive Michael Jovicic said the company was “pleased that the union has come to their senses after 20 months of negotiation”.

“We continue to negotiate with the MUA on a daily basis in an attempt to reach agreement,” Mr Jovicic said.

The company said this week the “unrelenting barrage” of stoppages and bans by the union across four states was threatening “serious damage” to the national economy.

The stevedore applied to the Fair Work Commission late on Monday to stop the protected action, telling the tribunal that shipping lines had made clear “in no uncertain terms” that the “situation is becoming untenable”.

Patrick, which handles almost 40 per cent of container volume nationally, said vessel delays due to the industrial action were now up to nine days in Melbourne, eight days in Sydney, five days in Fremantle, and two days in Brisbane.