The Maritime Union of Australia has today condemned the actions of global stevedore DP World for their bad faith approach to bargaining a new agreement for 1800 wharfies.
At the last round of negotiations in November, DPW walked out due to what was confirmed as a legitimate safety issue at its Port Botany terminal. DPW never set the record straight after it falsely attacked the MUA on its correct stand on safety after the company walkout.
"The union was completely vindicated over the Port Botany safety issue," MUA Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith said.
"The company undertook an industrial walkout when there were genuine safety issues. Now the same company is cancelling meetings and stalling negotiations with the workforce.
"DPW have again walked away from three days of negotiations set down for December with the union and have cancelled or refused to meet in all local areas for localised discussions.
"This is the epitome of bad faith bargaining from DPW. Walking away from negotiations and using spurious reasoning to avoid meeting their obligations to workers is unacceptable.
"The union calls on DPW to announce when they are able to meet and work through the issues to get an agreement.
"The workforce is waiting for an agreement not excuses why the company won't meet."
The DPW-MUA agreement does not expire until February and the union has warned that pushing negotiations back towards expiry may force the union into taking legally protected industrial action to focus the company's attention.
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