Logistics News

MUA rejects deadline, gets ITF backing

The Union is currently reviewing Patrick's 'final offer' and is expected to respond by Friday

 

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) says it supports the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA’s) rejection of the “arbitrary deadline” set by Patrick Stevedores to accept its “final offer”.

Last Thursday, Patrick set a 36-hour deadline for the MUA to accept the new enterprise agreement or the company would consider taking penalty action against the workers in Sydney, Freemantle, Melbourne and Brisbane.

The union rejected the April 15 deadline and says it is currently reviewing the offer and will respond by this Friday, April 22.

“This dispute is about job security, it’s about workers being able to manage their home lives, see their children,” ITF general secretary Steve Cotton says.

“It’s about transparent and accountable allocation of labour and fair compensation for an honest day’s work.

“The MUA won’t be rushed into a decision on these crucial issues.”

Referring to the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute, when Patrick carried out restructuring of its operations and locked out workers across all terminals before negotiating a new work agreement with the union, Cotton says the ITF will again support the MUA if Patrick resorts to such action.

“The company doesn’t have a track record for behaving reasonably when it doesn’t get its own way but we supported the MUA against Patrick in 1998 and we’ll continue to do so as they fight for a fair resolution in this dispute.”

The union earlier condemned the company for setting up an arbitrary deadline and expecting a response to a heavily cross-referenced 18-page document.

The two sides have been embroiled in a bitter dispute over contract negotiations since last year, with the union threatening to take industrial action at Fremantle, Brisbane and Melbourne terminals next week. 

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