MUA victory in Newcastle
By Alison Dellit
and Jane Beckmann
After 45 days locked out, maritime workers employed by Patrick Stevedores returned to work on May 23. The workers have been sub-contracted to Newcastle Stevedores.
The return to work was delayed because Patrick refused to re-employ their work force, claiming that the cost of security was too high. The company attempted to sub-contract the work to P&O, but were prevented from doing so when P&O workers refused to cross the picket line to unload the ships. The attempt to sub-contract the work was in clear defiance of the court order that the workers be reinstated.
MUA northern branch secretary Jimmy Boyle told Green Left Weekly that, although wharfies are "pretty pleased with recent developments", the struggle is far from over. The tents remain up on the picket line. The union is prepared to take further action if Patrick attempts to disobey the court directive to reinstate the wharfies.
The wharfies' future remains uncertain. They will not be paid for the current round of work, unless the Patrick companies are return to solvency. Patrick maintains it will cease operations in Newcastle. P&O has announced it will not take on more MUA members and Newcastle Stevedores announced it would employ some, but not all, the sacked wharfies.
Nevertheless, the return to work will make it more difficult for the MUA members to be sacked without compensation.