Last week’s planned 48-hour strike (Sunday 25 August) at Fremantle Port did not go ahead, according to a note to industry from Fremantle Ports.
Planned industrial action by Vessel Traffic Service Officers and Small Craft Masters that was due to start at 5:30 am last Sunday morning did not occur after notices to take action were withdrawn by workers following negotiations on Friday (Friday 23 August) which have led to an in-principle agreement.
“This is a positive outcome that will ensure shipping lines, importers and exporters and the public won’t be impacted further. It demonstrates that respectful and collaborative negotiation can deliver outcomes that work for all,” commented Fremantle Ports CEO, Jodie Ransom.
Captain Melwyn Noronha, commented: “during this time, in which shipping is experiencing uncertainty around the globe, to have such a positive, and amicable, resolution goes a long way to ensuring our supply chains are not unnecessarily hindered. Shipping Australia congratulates all parties involved in the recent negotiations for resolving the dispute in such a speedy manner. We would like to hope that such an approach is taken by all parties in the forthcoming rounds of future waterfront-related enterprise bargaining in the the not-too-distant future.”
Shipping Australia also added a comment on the situation, advising all those persons dependent on the supply of goods through the port at Fremantle that, unfortunately, although the dispute does now appear to be resolved, there will nonetheless still be some disruption. Owing to the previous bout of industrial action, and the recent closure of the port because of the bad weather, shipping schedules will be out of alignment for a little while yet, and there will be a backlog of cargo and some congestion yet to be resolved. Some time will be needed for all relevant parties to process this backlog and get the cargo through the port and out into the community.
