INTERNATIONAL shippers transporting bulk liquids to the Port of Melbourne have been warned not to do anything to “undermine the resolution” of the industrial dispute between bulk liquid storage terminals operator Quantem and workers at Quantem’s Coode Island site.
The matter hit the media last week and was reported in DCN.
ITF dockers' section coordinator Enrico Tortolano said he had written to several shipping operators that are understood to own vessels expected to be arriving at the Coode Island terminal during the next two weeks.
Those companies included the owners or operators of Stolt Bassuto (9351543), Chem Star 1 (9731371), Golden Creation (9738662), Golden Mind (9881067) and Golden Wave (98119911).
“The ITF advised those operators that ITF-affiliate union the Maritime Union of Australia was currently in dispute with Quantem and had commenced protected industrial action under Australian law,” Mr Tortolano said.
“We also advised the operators that Quantem had stood down the entire workforce at Coode Island in response to the protected industrial action and was planning to fly in scab labour to undermine the industrial action.
“The operators we wrote to all have ITF-negotiated workplace agreements. Those agreements clearly state that when a vessel is in port where an official trade dispute involving an ITF-affiliated dock workers’ union is taking place, there shall not be any cargo operations undertaken which could affect the resolution of the dispute.
“The ITF therefore calls on vessel owners, operators and decision-makers to respect the lawfully protected industrial action engaged in by the MUA, and to respect the clauses of the Agreements signed by those operators.”
ITF Asia Pacific regional secretary Scott McDine said the dock workers at Quantem were determined to secure an agreement for fair pay and conditions.
“Quantem management needs to go back to the negotiating table and resume bargaining in a mature, responsible and meaningful way,” Mr McDine said.