Massive outcomes in new Qube agreements voted up by MUA members

 

New employment agreements voted up by MUA members at Qube ports workplaces have delivered massive wins for wharfies across Australia. The agreements have now been overwhelmingly endorsed through ballots and meetings of MUA members in every state. Despite Qube’s campaign strategy to delay agreements and reach an intractable bargaining outcome, the workers prevailed.

 

Industrial action and the unity and steadfastness of the workforce gave Qube no choice but to move from their hard line position of gaming Australian industrial relations laws. 

 

The endorsement of the new agreements delivers a 4-year term, with 5.5% pay increases each year, along with significant rostering and fatigue improvements that will provide a better work-life balance for over 1000 wharfies across Australia.

 

“This is the best agreement ever delivered for workers employed by this company. The agreements were won through months of consistent industrial action and hard fought members’ struggle. Wharfies held the line and won against the company’s intransigence and corporate greed,” said Warren Smith, the Deputy MUA National Secretary, who led the campaign.

 

Subsequently the MUA has offered an ongoing peace deal to Qube but at this stage the company has rejected proposals for a normalisation of relations, instead seeking to have workers work for free after taking industrial action through a manipulation of anti-worker laws.

 

Multiple Federal Court cases remain live including the suing of twenty Melbourne wharfies and MUA officials by Qube management, while at the same time a Qube Company director is being sued by the MUA.

 

"Workers should not have to work for free and be punished for industrial action, which is Qube’s position. When this petty resentment is wound back the MUA will strongly support the process of normalising relations with the Company," said Mr Smith.

 

Throughout the campaign, the company played dirty tricks and tried to intimidate the workforce, but the solidarity of wharfies with the backing of the international dockers movement, through the International Transport Workers Federation and the International Dockers Council, saw Qube buckle.

 

Wharfies employed at Qube have prevailed with new agreements in every port which strengthen conditions, deliver big pay increases, and offer vital work-life balance provisions that were long overdue.

 

Highlights of the new agreement are: 

 

• 5.5% + 5.5% + 5.5% + 5.5% wage increases over four years

• 1% Superannuation increase above the legislated Super Guarantee

• 2pm allocation of shifts (instead of 4pm)

• 10 hour breaks between shifts

• 48 hour break when now reduced consecutive shift maximums are reached

• Paid Domestic and Family Violence Leave

• New rostering and Planned Time off provisions

• Income Protection

• Improved Public Holiday arrangements

 

ENDS