PROTECTED industrial action engaged by the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) is set to continue at five ports across the country.
The Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) announced it received notification from Qube Ports about the continuation of work restrictions that will occur at its Brisbane, Port Kembla, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Darwin terminals.
A further series of work bans and stoppages notified by the MUA will commence at 0001 hours on Friday (13 December) ending at 2300 next Thursday 19 December.
The latest notification is a continuation of industrial action engaged earlier in the month. Though the latest action is currently scheduled to conclude on 19 December, the MUA said in late November that it anticipates a number of Australian ports would be engaged in industrial action by Christmas time.
The FTA & APSA outlined that, “Should the parties remain at an impasse and fail to reach an agreement through negotiations, the Fair Work Commission allows for arbitration in cases of protracted disputes”.
“However, an application for arbitration cannot be made until at least nine months after the nominal expiry date of the previous agreement,” it said.
As the previous Enterprise Agreement expired on 30 June 2024, the FTA/APSA says the earliest opportunity to seek arbitration would be 31 March 2025.
Given the current deadlock, the alliance believes it is possible that the dispute could extend well into the second quarter of 2025.
The FTA/APSA said it urges all parties involved in the industrial dispute to work together on a resolution to minimise the impact on workers, freight, and the nation.
