AMMA lashes out at MUA over strike

The Maritime Union of Australia has started its five-day strike at Mermaid Marine Australia’s Dampier Supply Base today, a decision the Australian Mines and Metals Association has labelled “irresponsible and misguided”.

AMMA chief executive Steve Knott said the resource industry had put up with MUA threats to hold critical parts of the economy to ransom in pursuit of inflated wage increases, unreasonable allowances and attempts to control business operations for far too long.

“In virtually every enterprise negotiation it is involved in across the resource and related sectors, the MUA has belligerently pursued unrealistic industrial claims well above those in other industries, with zero regard for the broader impacts of their actions and their impacts on working people,” he said.

“The offshore oil and gas industry has created thousands of employment opportunities and billions in economic value for Western Australia.

“The MUA’s ideological campaign against major project operators and their contractors and service suppliers is particularly flawed and misguided.”

The AMMA has been in negotiations with the MUA for new agreements on a separate matter, which covered 21 vessel operator employers and 2,500 employees in the maritime support sector.

Mr Knott said the MUA must urgently reassess its approach and the wider impact it is having on one of the pillars of Australia’s economy.

“Our message to the MUA is drop the strike threats, drop the misguided campaigns against nationally important hydrocarbons projects, and get serious about working with resource employers towards sustainable and fair outcomes for the industry and all who work within it,” he said.

On Monday, Mermaid Marine said the strike would not directly impact its slipway or vessel and international operations.