[Stop press: The on November 18 ordered Svitzer to suspend its lock-out for six months.]
Danish multinational has threatened to lock out workers at 17 Australian ports on November 18, rather than negotiate an enterprise agreement with the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA).
Svitzer claims the lock-out is a 鈥渕atter of necessity鈥.
MUA national secretary on November 17 that tug crews had their fortnightly pay docked overnight, showing how 鈥渃ontemptuous鈥 of their workers the company has become.
The asked Svitzer on November 16 to voluntarily withdraw its lock-out, adding that the FWC has the power to suspend or terminate protected industrial action under section 424 of the Fair Work Act if it believes the 鈥減rotected industrial action has threatened, is threatening, or would threaten to cause significant damage to the Australian economy or an important part of it鈥.
Crumlin criticised Svitzer for imposing a four year wage-freeze.
He said the FWC will likely direct Svitzer on November 17 to halt聽the lock-out and order a return to work because of its breach of 鈥減ayroll obligations鈥.
He said Svitzer has been consistently trying to 鈥渄etonate the industrial bargaining process鈥, regardless of the economic and industrial damage it would cause.
The MUA to withdraw all its protected industrial action in exchange for Svitzer dropping its lock-out.
鈥淎t every turn, the three maritime unions have and will continue to offer a good faith approach regardless of these provocations,鈥 Crumlin said.
He said Svitzer 鈥渆xtracts hundreds of millions of dollars鈥 from the economy 鈥渢hrough a de facto monopoly operation鈥.
He said Svitzer鈥檚 Australian managers had 鈥渟pent the past three years refusing to finalise a new employment agreement鈥. This effectively meant a wage freeze for workers 鈥渁mid soaring inflation and massive corporate profits during a COVID-boom for shipping and logistics companies鈥.
The bosses lock-out will 鈥渨reck productivity, and prevent consumer goods and bulk commodities being loaded or discharged at major ports like Botany, Kembla, Melbourne, Newcastle and Brisbane,鈥 Crumlin said.