A PROTECTED industrial action ballot filed by the Australian Maritime Officers Union has received unanimous support from the Poseidon Sea Pilots workforce in Brisbane.
The vote means PSP pilots are now free to launch industrial action at the port, but negotiations between the AMOU and the employer are still underway and may yet reach a positive outcome.
The AMOU filed a ballot order application with the Fair Work Commission on 22 June after a period of slow-moving enterprise agreement negotiations with PSP. The FWC approved the application, initiating the 30-day voting period that has now concluded.
Ballot results released by the Australian Electoral Commission via the FWC indicate all 24 voting employees were in support of unlimited numbers of work stoppages ranging from one hour to seven days in duration.
All voters supported bans on driving company vehicles for 24 hours, bans on overtime work and bans on the performance of more than one pilot job between 1800 and 0600 for an indefinite period.
They also supported bans on the performance of work when a pilot’s boarding time is changed within 12 hours of their original scheduled boarding time. All but one supported an unlimited number of bans on the training of pilots for an indefinite period.
The AMOU and PSP will return to the Fair Work Commission this Friday (4 August) to continue negotiations.
AMOU senior organiser Tracey Ellis confirmed to DCN that the ballot received 100% support.
“We look forward to a positive result in the Fair Work Commission on Friday,” Ms Ellis said.
And AMS Group CEO Glen Marshall told DCN there had been significant progress in EBA negotiations.
“We have listened, made allowances, and ensured the pilots have what they need to deliver professional services,” he said.
“I believe all stakeholders would be extremely disappointed if industrial action was used to enhance their already industry-leading conditions and remuneration.
“We believe we have met the majority of their realistic claims. We will wait and see what the members are seeking in the coming days. We remain open to mutually constructive dialogue.”
The AMOU had turned to potential industrial action because pilots had supposedly waited 10 months for enterprise agreement negotiations to produce a collective agreement.
According to the union, pilots sought an enterprise agreement to level their pay and leave arrangements and to better understand their entitlements as employees.
Poseidon Sea Pilots is a fully owned subsidiary of AMS Group. It has provided pilotage services at the Port of Brisbane since January 2022.
This article has been updated to reflect details of results released by the Fair Work Commission.
