A target date of November 16 has been set for a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement to be negotiated between the parties, who have agreed to continue conciliation proceedings in the Fair Work Commission.
If needed, that can be extended by mutual consent. The negotiations follow Hutchison’s decision to cut back its costly expansion in Australia, where it has tried to challenge the established stevedores, DP World and Asciano’s Patrick Ports.
In August, a federal court granted an injunction preventing 97 workers at in Sydney and Brisbane from being sacked. However a longer-term solution needs to be found to the company’s future employment needs at its Sydney and Brisbane operations.
Both parties have agreed that a voluntary redundancy programme be opened for workers.