The Age (Melbourne)
Wednesday 8 April 1998
by Ewin Hannan
The Dock Employment Editor
Australia is heading for massive industrial confrontation after docks giant Patrick Stevedores last night sacked its entire union workforce of 1400.
ACTU officials warned of a "titanic struggle" if the sackings went ahead, with key unions expected to support the Maritime Union of Australia and the sacked workers.
Easter petrol supplies are already in jeopardy after the Australian Workers Union yesterday threatened a national oil industry strike should Patrick dismiss its workforce.
Early this morning, a group of sacked Patrick workers locked themselves in an office at Melbourne's East Swanson dock when they saw "hordes of security workers walking up the wharf".
"We can't get out. They've secured the whole place," one worker told The Age by telephone. "The boys aren't happy. It's like World War Three down here."
An MUA organiser, Mr Mick Cottrell, said at least one wharfie had been injured in the attempt to secure the dock. "There's dogs running around everywhere with people," Mr Cottrell said. "One of our members has been bitten by a dog and he's in a serious way - this is an absolute disgrace."
In a statement released about 11pm, Patrick said it had decided to contract out its stevedoring activities due to the "continued failure of the Maritime Union of Australia to negotiate acceptable work practices".
The company's chairman, Mr Chris Corrigan, said the Patrick group had accumulated losses of $56 million because of the union's refusal to accept change.
"The continued industrial thuggery of the MUA and the union's complete refusal to face economic realities have made today's events inevitable," Mr Corrigan said. "Put simply, the MUA's blind ideology has cost its members their jobs."
The dramatic move was immediately backed by the Federal Government. The Minister for Industrial Relations, Mr Peter Reith, said the Government supported the right of the company to introduce reform.
The MUA said last night it would seek an injunction in the Federal Court this morning to try to stop Patrick from proceeding.
The union's assistant national secretary, Mr Vic Slater, said the "outrageous action" proved the union's long-held belief that there was a conspiracy between Patrick, the Federal Government and the National Farmers Federation to destroy the union.
"This company has broken every rule in the industrial relations book and in doing so is jeopardising the livelihood of thousands of workers and their families at the behest of the Government," Mr Slater said.
Mr Reith urged the union movement not to over-react, and to examine "generous" redundancy packages that the company would be offering, with payouts of up to $270,000, including superannuation.
Patrick has been embroiled for several months in conflict with the MUA over work practices and its assistance to the National Farmers Federation to set up a non-union stevedoring operation. The row flared in December when serving and former Australian soldiers travelled to Dubai to be trained as stevedores. In February, after many denials, Mr Corrigan admitted direct involvement in the venture.
Last night's move came after a series of stoppages on wharves around the country.
The company said it had entered into contracts with nine companies, including the NFF-backed P&C Stevedoring.
The Opposition spokesman on industrial relations, Mr Bob McMullan, condemned the Government for celebrating the sacking of more than 1000 Australians, some of whom had not been involved in strikes.
