THE MARITIME Union of Australia has announced its members at Svitzer would stop work for four hours on Wednesday 26 October at ports in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.
In January, Svitzer applied to the Fair Work Commission to terminate the enterprise bargaining agreement with the MUA, the Australian Maritime Officers Union and the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers.
The company has said the agreement, which lapsed in 2019, has led to inefficiencies and limitations on workplace productivity.
And in August the FWC postponed the proceedings on the EBA termination (which were to begin on 8 August) to December this year and February 2023.
MUA assistant national secretary Jamie Newlyn said, “Svitzer makes a mockery of the bargaining process by making unreasonable, ideological demands that undermine many years of negotiated positions which we consider essential for our members’ job security, workplace safety and quality of life.
“These ideological attacks by Svitzer on their workforce are morally bankrupt and have no place in the Australian maritime sector,” Mr Newlyn said.
Svitzer declined a request for on-the-record comment.
