A state business lobby group says unions are already exploiting their new found power under the federal government's new industrial relations laws, with Maritime Union members set to walk off the job tonight, affecting some of the state's operations.
Union members are set to start a 48-hour strike at midnight tonight at 17 Farstad Shipping vessels. The vessels are located around the country, including one that is helping with remedial work at the Montara rig.
The union is pushing for a 30 per cent pay rise over three years and $45 a day for each employee to be paid into a union-established training fund.
Today, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA said the industrial action is ill-timed, considering that the economy is starting to recover from the global economic slowdown.
"Business concerns that unions will seek to exploit their new found power under the Federal Government's new industrial relations laws are proving to be correct," CCIWA said in a statement.
"The [Maritime Union] is the latest union to use their new found industrial muscle under the Federal Government's new industrial relations laws seeking exorbitant pay increases and improvements in conditions.
"CCI is alarmed, but not surprised, that unions are already trying to flex their new found industrial muscle.
"The [Maritime Union] campaign threatens to disrupt several multi-billion dollar resource projects off the Western Australia coast, each generating thousands of jobs and injecting billions of dollars into the local economy."
