Wharfies will launch industrial action at Hutchison Ports Australia this week, condemning the loss-Âmaking stevedore’s bid to cut their pay and conditions as ‘the most severe attack on waterfront conditions in a generation.’ Hutchison said wharfies at its Port Botany international container terminal in Sydney earned on average $150,000 a year with superannuation and Port of Brisbane workers received $130,000 annually. Employees get 11 weeks off a year – five weeks’ annual leave and an extra rostered week off every eight weeks, up to 13 days’ sick leave, and 12% superannuation. MUA members work on average 30 to 33 hours a week across a year, an arrangement agreed to by the company in exchange for greater automation. Hutchison wants workers to be able to work 35-42 hours a week.
On 15 January 2019 the Maritime Union of Australia advised of the commencement of protected Industrial action. Their statement said, in part:
All employees of Brisbane Container Terminal Pty Ltd t/a Hutchison Ports Australia Pty Ltd who will be covered by the proposed enterprise agreement, who are employed at its operations at Port of Brisbane, and who are members of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union – The Maritime Union of Australia Division, will engage in the following actions:
An unlimited number of bans on performance of overtime for an indefinite period, commencing 6am Thursday 17 January 2019;Â Â Â Â Â Â
An unlimited number of bans on performance of shift extensions for an indefinite period, commencing 6am Thursday 17 January 2019;
An unlimited number of bans on shifts starting outside nominal start times for an indefinite period, commencing 6am Thursday 17 January 2019;
An unlimited number of bans where work will stop for 30 minutes after each two hours of work performed on each shift for an indefinite period, commencing 6am Thursday 17 January 2019; and
An unlimited number of bans on performance of upgrades after the shift has commenced for an indefinite period, commencing 6am Thursday 17 January 2019.
Unions are putting pressure on the Labor Party – with an election just around the corner – to make big changes to workplace rules to give themselves more power.
Hutchison, on the other hand, is seeking to slash pay rates by 10 per cent followed by a 12-month wage freeze; reduce the superannuation contribution to 9.5 per cent; and cut sick leave, redundancy and long service entitlements. The company is trying to delay the action, and will seek orders from the Fair Work Commission to require the union to give five days’ notice before it can take the industrial action.
