DP World has put the onus on the CFMEU-MUA division to meet with them to discuss industrial disputes and prevent the action from having an impact on Australian businesses
Logistics provider DP World has announced it acknowledges the recent notification of further industrial action by the CFMEU-MUA division.
It’s now calling on the union to return to the bargaining table to help sort out the ongoing industrial dispute.
DP World says ongoing protected industrial action (PIA) by the CFMEU-MUA division, which has seen rolling stop work bans since October 6, is having a profound impact on small and medium-sized enterprises in Australia.
DP World says it plays a pivotal role in facilitating the operations of SMEs, ensuring the smooth flow of goods across borders, into the warehouses and onto the shelves of Australian businesses across the country. However, it claims that ongoing industrial action has unleashed substantial delays and disruptions across Australia’s import and export supply chains.
At DP World’s terminals in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle, the process of offloading a ship usually takes up to two days. Due to the union’s PIA, DP World says the timeline to offload a ship has extended to seven to eight days, resulting in increased cargo emissions, significantly slowing the flow of goods in Australia and creating a dire and direct impact on SMEs.
“It’s crucial to recognise that the delays caused by the industrial action are not only affecting goods coming into Australia for consumers, but it is also disrupting the export of Australia’s top produce to the global market at a time when demand and opportunity are increasing,” DP World says in a statement.
“If the union continues in this direction, its highly likely that our customers will encounter shelves with scarce inventory. The disruption and delays in the supply chain caused by the PIA will create an unsettling impact for the upcoming holiday preparations for countless households across the nation.
“DP World has consistently approached negotiations with goodwill, and over the past six months of Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBA), we’ve demonstrated flexibility and made concessions where appropriate. However, the CFMEU-MUA division’s position remains inflexible and uncompromising.”
DP World says its efforts to make progress in the EBA negotiations are encountering continued resistance.
Discussions between DP World and the CFMEU-MUA division were scheduled to take place on October 17 to 19, however the logistics provider says the union failed to meet the expectation of ceasing protected industrial action, meaning the meetings didn’t take place.
“Not only has the union declined this requirement, but they have also declared an escalation of bans and work disruptions, which have been effective from October 15,” DP World says.
“The stance of the CFMEU-MUA division is clear: they insist on the approval of all their demands, which would result in considerable financial strain on our company, impacting our clients, the Australian logistics network, and, in the end, the general Australian population.
“DP World is committed to fostering Australia’s modernised supply chain. If DP World were to concede to all 365 claims put forward by the union, this decision would have repercussions for the Australian public, households and SMEs.
“We urge the CFMEU-MUA division to reconsider its approach, engage constructively, and prioritise outcomes that benefit not only their members but the broader Australian community. While we respect the right to industrial action, its current trajectory will, regrettably, harm our workers through lost wages and impact the wider community through service disruptions.”
DP World says it remains committed to finding a resolution and is available to meet in the suggested timeframes. However, for the sake of constructive dialogue, it says it hopes the CFMEU-MUA division will reconsider its decision and suspend any planned industrial action during the negotiation period.
“Our commitment remains to serve the Australian public and businesses and ensure that disruptions are minimised,” DP World says.