Late-breaking news that there has been a pause in the industrial dispute between the Maritime Union of Australia and Patrick Terminals has been welcomed by Shipping Australia. However, union-induced industrial disruption will continue.
Commenting on the news of the adjournment of the industrial hearing, the CEO of Shipping Australia, Rod Nairn, said: “after a day and a half of conciliation conference at the Fair Work Commission the MUA has called off all industrial action at Patrick Terminals Australia-wide until near the end of October.
The immediate news is good in that Patrick Terminals should return to normal productivity, however it would take longer than that to clear the backlog of ships and containers and also for vessel schedules to return to normal.
The FWC hearing scheduled for today to consider termination of industrial action on the grounds of significant harm to the economy has been deferred until the 26th of October. Today’s outcome does not resolve this industrial matter but it does provide a month to give the parties an opportunity to come to a long-term resolution”.
