Agriculture exports: Strikes at ports leave meat sitting at docks

Stop-work action at Australian ports could see high-quality meat sitting on docks, and jeopardize contracts with international customers.

Rolling port strikes across the country could strain an already sluggish freight industry. Picture: David Crosling.

Stop-work action at Australian ports could affect 40 per cent of the nation’s container freight this month, further straining the already stretched shipping industry.

This month, the Maritime Union of Australia will instigate nationwide strikes and work bans at Patrick Corporation container terminals across the country, including Melbourne, Sydney and Fremantle, along with rolling industrial action at Brisbane.

Thomas Elders Markets analyst Andrew Whitelaw said industrial action at the ports would create instability for producers.

“The big impact of this will be a slowing down of everything,” Mr Whitelaw said.

“We’ve already got issues … you can’t get an empty box for love nor money. This’ll just make it harder. Containers won’t get emptied. On top of that, container freight is so much more expensive at the moment than it normally is.”

Mr Whitelaw said commodities such as wool have already been affected by global disruptions to shipping freight.

“Then you’ve got meat. For example, our high-quality sheep meat, our lamb and beef are going into a chilled container, then it sits on the dock for a bit of extra time in Melbourne, then you’ve got to think about the whole supply chain. The overseas customer becomes a bit annoyed,” he said.

“It’s not good for our long-term reliability as a supplier to the world.”

Patrick chief executive Michael Jovicic said the union action would result in continuous rolling industrial action at Patrick’s Melbourne terminals every Monday, Wednesday and Friday this month.

“We have bargained with the MUA for over 19 months and provided a very generous pay increase, guaranteed no redundancies and provided a commitment to preserving jobs,” Mr Jovicic said.

“They clearly have no intention of reaching a deal.” They just want to cause maximum damage to the company and the economy.”

MUA assistant national secretary Jamie Newlyn said Patrick withdrew an offer in early September that had been rejected by employees and had since “refused to meet or offer an alternative position”.

“In our view, the blame for any delays to Christmas supplies lays at the feet of Patrick for their refusal to bargain,” he said.