Union workers continue strikes at major Australian ports over Qube contract talks
Posted on December 23, 2024 |
Workers will keep striking at key ports like Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Gladstone, Melbourne, and Port Kembla due to an ongoing dispute with Qube Ports.
After a one-day strike at 10 ports, workers have been holding smaller strikes since September.
Workers plan 8-hour stoppages when vessels arrive, impacting ports handling goods like grains, steel, and machinery.
Qube’s Port Kembla operation will face 13 stoppages between December 20 and January 3, affecting coal, grain, and fertilizer shipments.
The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and Qube Ports have been in conflict since April 2024 after contract talks failed.
The MUA has called for the Australian government to step in and stop Qube from bypassing union negotiations.
Qube has proposed an 18% wage hike over four years, but the union is also asking for changes to shift rules and safety guidelines.