WHILE Smit Lamnalco has resolved its enterprise agreement with tug engineers and officers in Gladstone, the dispute over the Great Barrier Reef emergency towing vessel Reef Keeper remains at a stalemate.
MUA Queensland assistant branch secretary Dave Lyon reports no progress in the long-running EA negotiations, which have now been running for more than 12 months. Neither side had given ground despite the MUA launching 10 days of stoppages on 20 January, after an earlier pre-Christmas campaign.
SL MD Australia & PNG David Fethers said the company had put forward a fair and competitive final offer, including a 12.6% pay increase, exceeding the salaries of comparable vessels performing similar, specialist work.
“Despite this, the CFMEU continues to push for excessive and unrealistic demands that have no grounding in operational reality,” Mr Fethers said.
“We are fully prepared for this stalemate to continue as long as necessary to ensure a sustainable outcome. The vessel has already endured 23 days of stoppage notices since December due to unnecessary and disruptive industrial action, but we will not be pressured into an unsustainable agreement.
“Our priority remains maintaining safe and effective operations while ensuring our workforce is fairly compensated within an appropriate industrial framework.”
The MUA’s Lyon said he understood AIMPE members were preparing to lodge a PABO (protected action ballot order) with the Fair Work Commission which would likely see an intensification of action in 2-3 weeks.
