We have received advice that a Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) stop work meeting will be held at the terminal on Monday 13th March, 2023 from 10am until 2pm, excerpts of the statement by MUA as follows:
Quote:
“International shipping companies’ recent decision to schedule a massive volume of blank sailings to Australia will have a particular impact on Australia’s third largest shipping terminal operator.
This will throw the waterfront industry into disarray and cause significant economic hardship for hundreds of Australian workers, the Maritime Union of Australia has warned, with the latest example of shipping company cartel behaviour bolstering the case for government intervention into Australian supply chain security.
One of Australia’s three terminal operators, Hutchison Ports, has advised the Union it expects the impact of the shipping companies’ massive withdrawal of sailings to its two terminals – in Sydney and Brisbane – will last four months. The huge reduction in volumes will drive potential job losses and necessitate significant wage reductions and hardship for entire workforce. Terminals operated by DP World in Fremantle, and Melbourne, and VICT in Melbourne, are also affected.
“This is a prime example of persistent market failure in Australia’s supply chains, with Australian workers once again bearing the brunt of international cartel conduct on our coast and on our waterfront,” said Paddy Crumlin, the MUA’s National Secretary and a member of the Australian Federal Government’s Strategic Fleet Shipping Taskforce.
“During COVID, this cartel behaviour took the form of rampant price gouging and scheduling and vessel allocation manipulations that created a false scarcity amidst the global pandemic. Now, they’re slashing sailings and leaving a massive vacuum behind to exert pressure once again on Australia’s supply chains and working people.” Mr Crumlin added.
The Maritime Union of Australia has repeatedly drawn the attention of government, industry, small business and the community to the economic, social and sovereign risks associated with international shipping companies’ systematic abuse of our position at the far end of global supply chains. Independent economic advisory bodies like the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Productivity Commission have repeatedly failed to take seriously these risks or incorporate measures to mitigate them in their advisories to government.”
Unquote.
The GPSM Transport Team will liaise directly with those clients affected by the stoppage for rescheduling of the delivery import/export of containers.