CSL bully tactics against AWU

Date: 29 July 2002

Shipping line CSL was using bully tactics to silence the Australian Workers' Union and the ACTU in their bid to save Australian jobs, which are being threatened by replacement foreign crews.

The AWU's National Secretary Bill Shorten said threats of court action would not be enough to stop union officials from doing their job and speaking out against the destruction of Australian jobs.

"I find it astonishing that the Federal Government appears to support a foreign company's legal bid to destroy Australian jobs,'' Mr Shorten said.

"The best role for the Federal Government is to show its commitment to Australian jobs by closing down a loophole where Australian shipping vessels could be re-flagged so that they can use foreign crews in Australian waters,'' Mr Shorten said.

He said the union dedicated hours to constructive talks with cement companies and the shipping line in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in May to resolve the issue of reflagging ships to gain cheap foreign labor.

Mr Shorten said that through those talks the parties had agreed to set up an industry forum to work through the issues facing our Australian shipping industry and delivery of cement, but CSL had failed to deliver on its commitment. "It disappoints me that CSL is more interested in aggressive legal action than it is in honoring its commitment to the forum.''

He said the attempts by CSL to replace Australian workers with low-wage foreign crew were not only an attack on Australian jobs, but also a threat to Australia's national security. In past conflicts the merchant navy was an invaluable resource from which to recruit. "In the past Australian seafarers have sacrificed their lives defending our country, it's important Tony Abbott does not render their sacrifice in vain.

"By allowing foreign crews to work in Australian waters we lose skilled Australian seafarers who have the nation's best interests at heart. "

For further information

Contact:	Andrea Carson
Union:	Australian Workers Union (National Office)
Phone:	039 3298733
Contact Mobile:	0407 041933
Fax:	03 9329 2871
Email:	awu@iprimus.com.au
WWW:	www.awu.net.au

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed
by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW
[Credits] [Site Matters]