Excerpts from the Sydney Morning Herald:
Tension between the Maritime Union of Australia and stevedoring giant Patrick are sharply rising again after the company accused its workers of illegal industrial activity at Sydney’s Port Botany terminal.
A stoush between the union and Patrick will reignite fears of yet another long-running dispute, the worst of which was the months-long 1998 waterfront dispute that impacted trade in Australia.
Union concerns centre on the recent sub-lease of a empty container park within Patrick Terminal to Patrick’s joint owner Qube. The Qube staff are not covered by the MUA’s workplace agreement.
Qube acquired a 50 per cent stake in Patrick following the takeover of Asciano in August 2016.