The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) has offered a peace deal to Patrick Terminals that could bring an immediate end to the damaging industrial action.
The deal offered by the MUA is conditional on Patrick Terminals agreeing to a 2.5% pay rise for workers and continuity of existing terms and conditions. The parties are set to negotiate with the Fair Work Commission as the mediator at a conciliation hearing.
The dispute raged as the MUA wanted a 6% increase in wages for wharf workers.
“When the MUA and Patrick sit down for a conciliation hearing before the Fair Work Commission today, the union will be putting forward this genuine, reasonable, and fair peace offer that could bring the current dispute to an immediate end,” MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said.
The protected industrial action and strikes have caused major impact to the nations wharves by decreasing available workers and overtime workers which has lead to port congestion, major delays, shortage of containers and increased fees and charges.
Patrick Terminals CEO Michael Jovicic said the industrial action had reduced the company’s operations in Sydney to 50 or 60 per cent of usual levels and has caused a backlog of 90,000 containers.
“I’m getting phone calls every day and night from importers and exporters complaining about this industrial action,” he told the ABC on Tuesday.
Mr Crumlin said if Patrick was serious about resolving the dispute in the interest of customers and the broader community, it would accept the union’s offer.
To learn more about the Protected Industrial Action impacting Patrick Terminals, please read our update.
We will continue to monitor the landscape and provide updates where necessary.
