Pilot Cutter Crews Plan Another Industrial Action at Jackson, Botany Ports
Members of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) working on board pilot cutters plan to stage a 24-hour work stoppage at Port Jackson and Port Botany.
According to the Port Authority of New South Wales cited by GAC, the industrial action is planned to commence at 0600 a.m. on Tuesday, October 24, 2017.
“The action proposed will suspend the use of the pilot vessels to embark and disembark Pilots in Port Jackson and Port Botany,” a notice from the port authority reads.
Product tanker and crude oil tanker vessels will be exempted from the industrial action, including passenger cruise vessels.
The MUA has agreed to exempt watchkeeping at sea, fire rounds, port security watches, safety drills, and all emergency related issues.
However, this industrial action does not exempt perishables and therefore the movement of container vessels scheduled during this period will be affected.
The move follows an industrial action from September which was cut short to a 12-hour protest after the port authority and MUA agreed on the protected action ballot order at the Fair Work Commission, which was asked to determine if the movement of perishables should be included in the exemption.
The work stoppage is said to be linked to negotiations on a new enterprise agreement.
