Maritime Union eyes industrial action in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Workers at DP World in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are threatening to walk off the job this week, as negotiations around a new enterprise bargaining agreement continue.
The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) has given notice of protected industrial actions at all three sites.
It is planning four-hour stoppages from 10am and 6pm on Wednesday, as well as from 2am on Thursday in Sydney.
In Melbourne, a four-hour stoppage from 12.30pm on Thursday will be followed by an eight-hour overnight stoppage from 10.30pm the same day.
The MUA says it plans to stop work at DP World’s Brisbane operations for four hours from 11am on Friday, and for a further eight hours immediately following that.
DP World remains hopeful the strikes will be avoided and that it will do what it can to reduce the impact to its customers.
“Dialogue is continuing at the highest levels and we are doing all we can to avert this action,” it says in a statement.
“DP World Australia believes both parties would be better served to continue negotiations in good faith.”
The company says it “strongly disagreed” with the planned action, adding that it was “neither required nor deserved”.
“We urge the MUA to withdraw their threat of protected action and return to the negotiating table.”
The MUA has a range of protected actions available to it.
Following votes of the relevant membership, the union is able to use stoppages of four, eight, 12, 24 and 48 hours in its campaign, as well as bans on the performance of shift extensions, overtime and upgrades.