Wharf action ends without pay deal
The Maritime Union of Australia has suspended its campaign of industrial action against stevedoring company Patrick at ports around the country without a pay deal.
Federal government ministers and industries organisations had claimed the union's strategy could hurt farmers and imperil medicine supplies if it continued for long enough.
Industrial action at the nation's wharves has been stopped.Credit:Lousie Kennerley
The union's move averted a showdown originally scheduled for today at the Fair Work Commission, which the company had asked to permanently terminate the union's industrial campaign.
After a scheduled morning of talks on Wednesday stretched into an extra day, the parties left the negotiations on Thursday with no agreement on pay and conditions for dockworkers, which started the dispute seven months ago.
Patrick offered a four year deal with 1.5 per cent annual pay rises, which it said was "generous". The union offered a one-off 12 month extension of the union's current agreement with a 2.5 per cent pay bump and described it as "industry standard".
Patrick chief executive Michael Jovicic welcomed the union's decision to withdraw its legal actions, which included rolling stoppages at some ports and bans on working overtime. The measures had seen delays of up to three weeks at Patrick's Port Botany container terminal.
He said was disappointed the union had not accepted Patrick's pay offer to its workforce, which is paid on average full-time salaries of more than $150,000.
"Having lost in the court of public opinion [the union] decided to retreat to fight another day," Mr Jovicic said.
The union has agreed to withdraw its industrial action until at least October 26, when the union and Patrick will be back before the Fair Work Commission for a hearing in which the company will try to persuade the commission it should terminate the union's campaign.
Maritime union Sydney assistant branch secretary Paul Garrett said the union believed its industrial action was legitimate, had not delayed vital supplies and was in support of a compromise offer far lower than the 6 per cent the union had originally demanded. But he said they had suspended the campaign so negotiations could continue.
"You can't hide behind the media or hide behind the court or hide behind the Prime Minister that's got it wrong all week," Mr Garrett said.
Earlier on Thursday Prime Minister Scott Morrison reiterated his calls for the parties to reach an agreement, telling the wharfies their campaign was hurting ordinary Australians.
"They're picking a fight with farmers, they’re picking a fight with people who need medicines, they're picking a fight with Australians whose jobs depend on what comes through those ports," Mr Morrison said.
More to come.
Nick Bonyhady is industrial relations reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based between Sydney and Parliament House in Canberra.