Maritime workers make three demands as they strike across Australia over pay dispute
Maritime workers across Australia have taken strike action amid a dispute about pay and conditions.   

News.com.au
August 5, 2022

Maritime workers across Australia have taken strike action over a dispute with employer Svitzer Towage and are now making more demands of the company and the federal government.

Svitzer, which is a subsidiary of maritime giant AP Moller Maersk, is allegedly seeking to cancel its 2016 employment agreement with tugboat workers at every mainland port following the expiration in December 2019.

It prompted workers to walk off the job on Friday – some for just four hours, but others for an entire 24 hours – claiming the company is seeking to slash their pay almost in half.   


Workers are represented by the Maritime Union of Australia, the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers, and the Australian Maritime Officers Union.

The unions have written to the company’s managers asking them to return to the negotiating table to avoid litigation next week in the Fair Work Commission, but have so far gotten nowhere.

The MUA says returning the workforce to the marine towage award would force workers to perform overtime to recoup pay, leading to increased fatigue and stress while undermining the company’s ability to provide efficient services.

MUA assistant national secretary Jamie Newlyn told reporters on Friday workers were striking in a bid to try to pursue a reasonable enterprise agreement.

“Svitzer, a multinational company, have been raking in the profits during the Covid pandemic and are now seeking to strip wages and conditions from their loyal employees by up to 47 per cent,” he said.

“This is an outrage and our members won’t stand for it.”



A town hall meeting was held on Friday, during which three resolutions were made.


“Basically we’re calling on Svitzer to come back to the bargaining table and bargain in good faith for decent agreement for tug workers in this country,” Mr Newlyn said.

“(Secondly), to call on the Albanese Labor government to change the Fair Work Act to disallow the termination of agreements during a bargaining period.

“Third, to call on the chief executive of Svizter to come out and participate in the bargaining with the local managers who have lost all respect from their local workers in Australia.

“We need him here to participate and show some leadership and authority.”

Mr Newlyn said workers had not had a pay rise in three years and inflation was “through the roof”.   

NCA NewsWire is yet to receive a response from Svitzer.