Protesters defy calls to return to work at wharfs for Hutchison

Protests against the sacking of 97 workers by stevedoring company Hutchison Ports persisted in Sydney and Brisbane.

Union-led protests against the sacking of 97 workers by stevedoring company Hutchison Ports persisted in Sydney and Brisbane yesterday despite the Fair Work Commission’s edict to workers to stop industrial action.

The industrial umpire was last night trying to resolve the dispute between the Maritime Union of Australia and Hutchison after its orders issued late on Friday failed to deter strikes.

The company sub-contracted work to rival ports, with ships turned back to sea after ­approaching the dock at Sydney’s Port Botany, the union claimed. But workers yesterday reportedly refused to unload a ship when it came into port in Sydney.

Commission deputy president Anna Booth ordered “employees” to stop organised industrial action in her interim decision late on Friday. She extended the order last night to include the MUA.

“There’s work to be done, we just want to get on with it,” the MUA NSW branch ­assistant secretary, Paul Garrett, said earlier last night.

“We want the workers back to work. Sit down and have some meaningful dialogue about the situation. But there’s no discussion about getting workers back on the payroll.”

Picket lines formed at term­inals in Brisbane and Sydney on Friday after workers were sacked by text message and email late on Thursday night.

Workers were given a week’s notice but told “you are will (sic) not be required to attend work ­effective immediately”. Those who turned up to the port were not permitted to clear out their lockers, the union said, and private security guards were ­stationed at the gates.

The tactics prompted Bill Shorten to declare the company “heartless” and “callous”.

The MUA is also seeking a court injunction against the ­redundancies.

Last month it warned of an ­alleged plan “hatched” by Hong Kong-based Hutchinson, dubbed “Phoenix Rising”, which it claimed “involves the destruction of the Maritime Union of Australia and the rebirth of Hutchison Ports Australia”.

Hutchison has not returned calls from The Australian.