Shipping Australia is very concerned about the adverse effects on Australian families that will be caused by coordinated protected industrial action on the Australian waterfront.
About 99% of Australia’s imports and exports by volume, and about 79% by value, are transported by ocean-going ships. This includes the everyday goods, foodstuffs, and medical supplies upon which Australian families rely.
Bear in mind too that about 9% to 10% of Australia’s workforce is employed in the logistics sector. That sector is driven in large part by the import and export of goods.
Coordinated national protected action across the whole waterfront would stop that flow of vital goods and could threaten business viability and jobs in the logistics sector.
Shipping Australia is particularly concerned that Australian families will suffer because of union tactics to target individual ships. Ships travel from port-to-port in a loop around Australia, and to other countries, on a very tight schedule.
Targeted union action will throw ships so far off-schedule that cargo-carrying voyages would have to be cancelled. Such tactics will disrupt the supply of essential goods and will cause Australians to suffer.
We have alerted the Federal and State governments to this threat by writing to appropriate ministers and State Premiers around the country.
Shipping Australia is considering its options in respect of any possible legal action.
