Asia/Pacific News
Dockworkers Launch 48 Hour Strike at Patrick's Brisbane Terminal
Australian dockworkers union, the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), launched 48 hour strike action Wednesday morning at the Brisbane Autostrad Terminal.
As Ship & Bunker previously reported, the strike is intended to garner MUA job security before a takeover of Asciano Limited's (Asciano) Patrick Corporation (Patrick) is finalised.
The latest strike action is said to follow a similar work stoppage at Botany's Patrick container terminal last week, with workers at East Swanson Dock Terminal expected launch another 48 hour strike on April 21.
Patrick is reported to have offered employees the opportunity to vote on the company's latest draft agreement, which is said to propose, among other things, a 1 percent pay raise for the first year, a 2.5 percent raise for the second year, and a 2.75 percent raise for each of the last two years.
Will Tracey, MUA's Deputy National Secretary, says a union response on the proposal cannot be provided before April 22, giving the union time to mull the proposal with stakeholders.
The employee vote on the proposal is reported to be expected to run from May 4 to May 9.
