Tensions rise at Hutchison’s as wharfies and security men clash

Tensions escalated between the maritime union and stevedores Hutchison Ports Australia yesterday.

Paul Wallington was one of nearly 100 workers who were sacked by Hutchison by text message and email.

Tensions escalated between the maritime union and stevedores Hutchison Ports Australia yesterday with claims workers were locked out or had not turned up for work.

A Federal Court decision on Thursday to stay the redundancies of 97 dock workers in Sydney and Brisbane led to confrontations yesterday between company security and unionists trying to enter the Port Botany site for their shifts.

The dispute could prompt Hutchison to wind down its Australian operation — or its Brisbane business alone — as the company has stressed the need to downsize its Australian offering, which is said to be losing up to $40 million a year.

The court this week granted a temporary injunction against the sackings that sparked public outrage and a seven-day picket line after the company told workers of the redundancies by text message and email.

Counsel for Hutchison, John Fernon SC, told the court there was not enough business to justify the workforce of 224.

However, judge Darryl Rangiah ordered Hutchison Ports to rescind the redundancies, pending a final hearing on August 31.

It was expected all workers would be reinstated but the union cried foul after it emerged none of the sacked workers was rostered on for shifts.

The company is thought to have subcontracted its shipping to rivals Patrick and DP World.

On Monday, the Fair Work Commission gave an interim order to the union and workers to end industrial action at the port. The commission was yesterday expected to dispense with the order and move to a conciliation process.

However, tempers flared when the company claimed workers had failed to turn up for their shifts. The union in turn claimed workers were “locked out” of the port by the company.

The ACTU said it rejected suggestions from Hutchison that the company was reducing its Australian operations because of a lack of competitiveness and accused the company of “subcontracting existing work to other stevedores in a bid to give the impression that their workforce needs to be changed”.

“We urge Hutchison management to come back to the negotiating table,” Maritime Union of Australia national secretary Paddy Crumlin said.

Employment Minister Eric Abetz has called for “all parties … to comply with orders of the commission and orders of the courts”.