1998 Australian waterfront dispute
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The Australian waterfront dispute of 1998 was a severe and protracted industrial relations dispute mainly between the Maritime Union of Australia and Patrick Corporation, a stevedoring and transportation company led by CEO Chris Corrigan that had the support of the Australian federal Howard government, particularly the then Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith. The dispute, which became the most contentious industrial relations battle fought in Australia for many years, centred around attempts by Patrick and the Federal Government to improve efficiency on Australia's wharves, primarily by reducing worker entitlements and the power of the MUA. It also acted as a litmus test for the workings of the governments "new industrial relations" system.
Industrial relations legislation
The Howard government, before being elected in 1996, had promised significant industrial relations reform. In January 1997 it repealed the former Industrial Relations Act, replacing it with the Workplace Relations Act 1996 [link]. The stated aim of this legislation was to foster individual choice in workplace bargaining by reducing the powers of external organisations - particularly trade unions - to intervene. In addition to reducing the powers of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to arbitrate disputes, the act also introduced individual employment contracts, known as Australian Workplace Agreements (AWA)s, into the Australian system. The watering down of collective bargaining provisions were a source of objection for many unions.The main objective of both Patrick and the Government was to diminish the number of waterfront workers held under collective bargaining agreements and replace them with AWA workers.
Beginnings of the dispute
Australian waterfront productivity had been an issue of concern since the 1980s. Patrick sought to improve productivity by creating redundancies and reducing overtime entitlements for its permanent employees, as well as hiring more contract employees on a casual basis.After the legislative introduction of Australian Workplace Agreements, a number of stevedoring operators toyed with bringing individual contract workers into their workforces, but abandoned their plans in the face of strident union opposition.
The Dubai experiment
Investigations by media revealed that in December 1997, an Australian stevedoring company, Fynwest, had taken to hiring out-of-work Australian Defence Force personnel to work as stevedores under AWAs in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. The plans of the company were to either take these workers back to Australia or use the training program to train more. Intense criticism and the threat of industrial retaliation forced the company to cancel its plan.Litigation
External links
- [Outline of the Waterfront Dispute - Australian Parliamentary Library]
- [Takver's Soapbox - War on the Wharfies] (independent site in support of the unions)
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