Maritime Union of Australia Plans Industrial Actions at Bulk/General Ports

Dockworkers at some of Australia’s leading bulk and general cargo ports are the latest planning job actions as their contract negotiations drag on. The National Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) reports it received 100 percent support for industrial actions in Melbourne and Port Kembla and over 99 percent for an action in Brisbane all targeting integrated terminal operator Qube.

The contract for the “wharfies” expired in June 2024 with the union accusing Qube of delaying negotiations and reaching new terms. The MUA said they had “been seeking early, cooperative negotiations with management of Qube since October 2023.”

The issues cited by the union sound familiar as they reoccur with striking similarity around the world from Europe to North America to Australia. For most of the summer, Germany’s container ports were without a contract and only reached tentative terms last week after five rounds of strikes. Canadian dock workers are also moving towards a strike while in the United States, the International Longshoremen’s Association appears to be set for a strike that would run the length of the Atlantic Coast and into the Gulf Coast ports impacting containers and RoRo traffic.

The MUA cites the increased profits of Qube over the past four years during the life of the recently expired contract. They note the hard work of the dockworkers, especially during the pandemic, and highlight the impact of inflation. 

“The purchasing power of a Qube wharfie has been diminished by 14 percent due to inflation, with the real value of wages falling year on year as company profits rose,” writes the MUA. Discussing the pending actions against Que, the MUA’s Deputy National Secretary Warren Smith said “We are going to fight to get our share.”

With the mandate from members, the MUA says it will begin actions this week in Melbourne, Port Kembla, and Brisbane. The first round will focus on bans on overtime and other changes in work assignments as well as limitations on members. The union also has the authorization for work stoppages ranging from 1 to 24 hours as well as similar tactics for the limited withdrawal of members. The MUA cites the flexibility in the authorization as it moves forward with the actions against Qube.

Recently Australia has seen several long and contentious labor situations that persisted for long periods and resulted in government interventions. 

“Companies like DP World and Svitzer Tugs have learned the hard way that workers’ rights and a fair pay rise during rampant inflation are non-negotiable, and the contortions and manipulations they engage in along the way make no difference to the final outcome,” said Smith.

The dispute with Svitzer dragged on for years while actions against DP World impacted container operations. Both of those disputes ended up involving Australia’s Fair Work Commission before settlements were reached.

Qube highlights its port operations and logistics services including bulk and general handling facilities in over 40 Australian, New Zealand, and South East Asian ports. Its operations range from containers to bulk, automotive, and general cargo, and it also manages 25 sites for the forestry industry in Australia and New Zealand. It is also the leading provider of supply chain logistics services to the energy sector, supporting thousands of onshore wells and rig supply vessels, barges, and offshore construction vessels annually.