Wednesday, 15 November 2023

Maritime Union of Australia

Luba GRIGOROVITCH (Kororoit) (10:54): I want to speak in solidarity with the mighty Maritime Union of Australia, better known as the MUA, and their members and officials who are currently in a battle with the Dubai Ports World container terminal. Dubai Ports operates four terminals around Australia, which collectively deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in profit back to the Dubai government owned parent company, yet the company has not paid any corporate income tax in Australia for the last eight years, and probably longer, despite record profits on income of over $4.5 billion. The MUA has been negotiating for six months in good faith, but Dubai Ports are refusing to reach a fair deal. They are deliberately derailing negotiations and using Australian workers to continue to make record profits while trying to pay them even less and cutting their conditions when there is a real cost-of-living issue in our country.

Last year’s enterprise bargaining agreement wage increase saw these workers receive only a 2.5 per cent wage increase. This was 6 per cent lower than the inflation rate at the time. Now that MUA members are taking lawful protected industrial action, management is refusing to meet with them and their representatives. The MUA is prepared and ready to meet, but this company is refusing to budge and has stated that it will not continue negotiations while the MUA is exercising its legal right to protected actions. The workers over at Patrick Terminals will be paid 17.3 per cent more as of 1 January next year – same job, same work and vastly different incomes. There are a number of MUA members from Dubai Ports who live in Kororoit, including one who has been a wharfie for 33 years.