Hutchison Ports workers jobs protected
ACTU President Ged Kearney and MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin are meeting with Hutchison Ports Australia workers following the decision last night in the Federal Court to grant an injunction which protects their jobs, Maritime Union Australia said in its media release.
Last Thursday night Hutchison tried to sack 97 of their 224 workers in Sydney and Brisbane by text message and email in a move which sparked a massive backlash from workers, unions and the broader community.
In the Federal Court on Thursday, Justice Rangiah agreed to grant a temporary order based on a lack of consultation by the company with its workforce that will remain in place until a full hearing in the week beginning August 31.
Workers are returning to their jobs at port facilities in Brisbane and Sydney.
The union movement urges Hutchison management to come back to negotiating table to find a long term solution for the company and its workforce.
Unions reject suggestions from Hutchison that the company is reducing its Australian operations due to a lack of competitiveness as the company has been subcontracting existing work to other stevedores in a bid to give the impression that their workforce needs to be changed.
Union are seeking a fair and objective process where all labour data and modelling are put on the table to determine the true nature and scope of the problem.
Unions have condemned Employment Minister Eric Abetz for characterising the email and text sackings as an ‘appropriate methodology’ and have run online campaign to give Eric Abetz a taste of his own medicine and sack him by text.