The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) is planning a new wave of industrial action across Australian terminals as tensions between the union workers and stevedoring company DP World Australia heat up.
As informed, the latest action on behalf of the giant stevedoring company, which employs over 1,800 workers, has seen wharfies employed at DP World in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Fremantle stripped of approved leave.
The union said the move was an “unlawful and aggressive attack on workers’ rights” leaving workers unable to fulfill family obligations.
The decision has been described as an attempt of intimidating workers to accept the terms of a new workplace agreement that is being negotiated at the moment between the union and DP World.
“During this period of negotiation DP World had sought to intimidate workers using workers’ family and social benefits such as Income Protection, we’ve seen dockings, actual sackings, threats of mass sackings, leave cancelled, attacks on democratic rights, and cancellation of Christmas bonuses,” MUA Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith said.
“Rather than backing down, workers will be responding to this latest attack with a fresh round of industrial action, including strikes, rolling stoppages during each shift, and the imposition of a range of work bans.”
As explained, MUA members want to finalise a new workplace agreement but need assurances that their jobs would be secure and vital workplace conditions would be maintained.
DP World Australia declined to comment when approached by World Maritime News for a statement on the matter.
