The Australian waterfront dispute of 1998 was a severe and protracted industrial relations dispute, primarily between the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and Patrick Corporation, a stevedoring and transportation company led by chief executive officer Chris Corrigan. Patrick Corporation had the support of the Howard government, particularly the then Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith. The dispute, which became the most contentious industrial relations dispute in Australia for many years, centred around attempts by Patrick and the Federal Government to improve efficiency on Australia's wharves, primarily by reducing worker entitlements and the power of the MUA. It also acted as a litmus test for the workings of the government's "new industrial relations" system. Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Shortcut: WP:NPOVD Articles that have been linked to this page are the subject of an NPOV dispute (NPOV stands for Neutral Point Of View; see below). ... A Boeing employee speaks at a trade union rally The field of industrial relations looks at the relationship between management and workers, particularly groups of workers represented by a union. ... The Maritime Union of Australia covers waterside workers, seamen, port workers, professional divers, and office workers associated with Australian ports. ... Patrick Corporation Ltd (ASX code: PRK) is an Australian publicly listed logistics conglomerate. ... Stevedores on a New York dock loading barrels of corn syrup onto a barge on the Hudson River. ... “Chief executive” redirects here. ... Chris Corrigan (b 1946) is an Australian businessman. ... Patrick Corporation Ltd (ASX code: PRK) is an Australian publicly listed logistics conglomerate. ... John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian politician and the 25th Prime Minister of Australia. ... Peter Keaston Reith, (born 15 July 1950), Australian politician, was a senior Cabinet minister in the first two terms of the Howard government. ...

Industrial relations legislation

The Howard government, before being elected in 1996, had promised significant industrial relations reform. In January 1997 it substantially amended the Industrial Relations Act, and renamed it the Workplace Relations Act 1996. The stated aim of this legislation was to foster individual choice in workplace bargaining by reducing the powers of external organisations - particularly trade unions - to intervene. In addition to reducing the powers of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to arbitrate disputes, the Act also introduced individual employment contracts, known as Australian Workplace Agreements (or AWAs), into the Australian system. The watering down of collective bargaining provisions was a source of objection for many unions. Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... The Workplace Relations Act 1996 is an Australian law passed by the Howard Government shortly after coming into power in 1996. ... A trade union or labor union is an organization of individuals associated through employment, or labour. ... Liam Banger Jacksons Australian Industrial Relations Tribunal, or AIRT (known from 1969 to 1973 as the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, and from 1973 to 1988 as the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission), is a tribunal with powers under the Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cth). ... Arbitration is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, wherein the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons (the arbitrators or arbitral tribunal), by whose decision (the award) they agree to be bound. ... An Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA) is an individual written agreement on terms and conditions of employment between an employer and employee in Australia, under the Workplace Relations Act 1996. ... A Collective agreement is a labor contract between an employer and one or more unions. ...

Beginnings of the dispute

Australian waterfront productivity had been an issue of concern since the 1980s. Patrick sought to improve productivity by creating redundancies and reducing overtime entitlements for its permanent employees, as well as hiring more contract employees on a casual basis. Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ...

After the legislative introduction of Australian Workplace Agreements, a number of stevedoring operators toyed with bringing individual contract workers into their workforces, but abandoned their plans in the face of strident union opposition. An Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA) is an individual written agreement on terms and conditions of employment between an employer and employee in Australia, under the Workplace Relations Act 1996. ...

The Dubai experiment

Investigations by media revealed that in December 1997, an Australian stevedoring company, Fynwest, had taken to hiring out-of-work Australian Defence Force personnel to work as stevedores under AWAs in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. The plans of the company were to either take these workers back to Australia or use the training program to train more. Intense criticism and the threat of industrial retaliation forced the company to cancel its plan.^[1] For the band, see 1997 (band). ... The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. ... Coordinates: , Emirate Government  - Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Area [1]  - Metro 4,114 km² (1,588. ...

A wider arrangement

On 8 April 1998, the Patrick Stevedoring Company made a startling and controversial decision to sack all its unionised workers and liquidate its assets (essentially becoming insolvent). As the media and general public were confronted with this development, it was claimed that the government had known about, and supported, this mass sacking.^[2] April 8 is the 98th day of the year (99th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is in need of attention. ...

The company cited lack of productivity and profit as the reason behind the sacking, as well as a desire to "clean up" the waterfront. They seized on the government's tentative Workplace Relations Act 1996 as a means to do it. The Workplace Relations Act 1996 is an Australian law passed by the Howard Government shortly after coming into power in 1996. ...

However, when the media turned up at the docks the following morning, they discovered that the docks were fully operational, with a full staff installed - all with lower wages and fewer guarantees of working conditions. These workers had contracts with a different company - a company owned by the same people as the recently announced insolvent Patrick Corporation. This article is in need of attention. ...

This matter was soon seized by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) as a plot to 'squeeze' them out of the workforce, part of the Howard Government's overall plan. They started an angry and vigorous campaign to have this matter brought to justice, and the case made its way to the High Court. The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) is the peak national body representing workers in Australia. ... High Court entrance The High Court of Australia is the final court of appeal in Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy. ...

Litigation

The Patrick Stevedores v MUA High Court case upheld the substance of the decisions of the Federal Court of Australia, but with less onerous conditions on the administrators of the companies. Patrick Stevedores Operations No 2 Pty Ltd v Maritime Union of Australia (1998) 195 CLR 1; [1998] HCA 30 (4 May 1998). ... In Melbourne, the Federal Court is housed with other federal courts such as the High Court and the Federal Magistrates Court in the Federal Court Building on the corner of La Trobe Street and William Street The Federal Court of Australia is the Australian court in which most civil disputes...

Picket line at Swanston Dock, Melbourne

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3960x1566, 583 KB)Melbourne - Swanston Dock picket line on April 20, 1998 Photo from Takvers Soapbox - War on the Wharfies taken by Takver. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3960x1566, 583 KB)Melbourne - Swanston Dock picket line on April 20, 1998 Photo from Takvers Soapbox - War on the Wharfies taken by Takver. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ...

Resolution

The MUA and Patrick negotiated a new work agreement, which was adopted by the company and worked in June 1998. The agreement specified a near-halving of the permanent workforce through voluntary redundancies, the casualisation and contracting out of some jobs, smaller work crews, longer regular hours, company control over rostering, and productivity bonuses for faster loading. While the union retained the ability to represent maritime workers, the company achieved significant changes work practices as it desired. Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith stated at the time "There appears to be a number of reforms which will satisfy the seven benchmark objectives which is very important."^[3]

Popular culture

The waterfront dispute was the subject of the 2007 miniseries Bastard Boys. A miniseries (sometimes mini-series), in a serial storytelling medium, is a production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. ... Bastard Boys is an Australian television miniseries broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 2007, about the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute. ...

References

is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

External links

• Workplace Relations Act 1996
• AustLII page with links to court decisions
• Outline of the Waterfront Dispute - Part 1 Australian Parliamentary Library
• Outline of the Waterfront Dispute - Part 2 Australian Parliamentary Library
• Takver's Soapbox - War on the Wharfies (independent site in support of the unions)
• [1](an account, sympathetic to the MUA, published by the Brisbane Defend Our Unions committee in 1998)