Fair Work tells engineers to cancel strike

The Fair Work Commission last night issued an order to the Australian Institute of Marine & Power Engineers to end a planned strike by Teekay Shipping’s engineers this morning in Port Hedland.

Teekay said it was disappointed that the AIMPE turned down an enterprise agreement that was identical to the terms approved by the Australian Maritime Officers Union and the Maritime Union of Australia on Monday.

“Teekay has provided its proposed enterprise agreement to the engineers, who will vote on accepting it over the period 12 to 17 November,” the US-based shipping company said in a statement.

On Monday, The Port Hedland deckhands, represented by the MUA, agreed to a new wage deal after more than a year of negotiations.

The new agreement provided them with four weeks of annual paid leave and a salary increase of 0 per cent in the first year, followed by a 2 per cent increase in the second, third and fourth years.

The decision was made shortly after Teekay and Fortescue Metals Group lashed out at the 56 tugboat workers’ decision to bring Port Hedland to a halt for four hours today.

Teekay operates 14 tugboats and employs 166 tug crew.