Page 4 - Newsletter#14

case, national officials were a bit more relaxed about
where this job was heading than they ought to have
been at the time.

The late, great John Cummins from the original
BLF/CFMEU era, used to say, “never let a job (building-
site), get out of the ground before its organized” – and
that’s what happened here. It could be argued things got

messy with the campaign losing traction for a while.
The rank & file newsletter focused on Qld branch
and national MUA policy & direction. The union managed to get itself tangled up with a multi-
Edition #14. July 9. 2021 million-dollar damages claim from the company. The
odds are, either win or lose, such matters usually cost a
union dearly. Best to avoid those situations. This is not
SIGNIFICANT WINS FOR MUA MEMBERS AT to be risk averse in the old SUA style, or not having a go
HUTCHINSON’S AND VICT CONTAINER TERMINALS…. at all. It’s about strategizing, boxing clever, against in
most cases, a very formidable foe.
The R&F Newsletter prides itself on critiquing MUA
policy and direction as opposed to just criticizing policies It might be suggested of those to whom it applies, to get
or the leadership for its own sake, although we won’t shy their head out of Marx for a moment and engage in some
away from criticism where this is warranted. On the other swatting – for example, some will know of “The Art
other hand, where good work has been done by the of War” written by Sun Tzu in the 6 century. He was a
th
leadership in assisting to advance the interests of military strategist, but his teachings are equally
members, it also behoves us to acknowledge and applicable in other settings as many from the other side
celebrate those victories as well. well know.

The Hutchinson’s victory referred to in the last National In the end the union was able to focus on its goal of
Office Report is a case in point. This is a hard-nosed organizing the membership and on protecting and
organization, strongly opposing any union influence enhancing job security and improving pay and
wherever it operates around the world. Where it must do conditions on the site equal to industry standards if not
so, it prefers to encourage the development of in-house better. Well done all.
union structures, with the intention of splitting off its
employees from their respective traditional union As it became clear in later press reports obviously
organisations. leaked by VICT, it’d been necessary as part of the deal,
to enter into a legally binding agreement committing the
This company doesn’t come to the negotiating table very union and its members on that site from taking illegal
easily, it plays hard ball, preferring to test the mettle of action for 10 years, on pain of the union being penalized
the union and its members. It’s clear that hard work, to the tune of some multi-million-dollar figure.
perseverance, and co-ordination of solidarity action by
all members across company operations in the various The union needed to extricate itself from that potentially,
states involved, together with intelligent and committed very costly legal battle on the issue of damages. No
leadership at all levels, national, branch and importantly, great criticism is warranted providing members on site
from the workplace delegates themselves, led to this were able to make an informed decision in support of
important victory. Well done All. the whole deal including in respect of the additional
binding agreement. For sure, many lessons have been
Further success has been more recently reported in learnt from this experience.
respect of EBA negotiations with VICT in Melbourne. As
with Hutchinson’s, this has been a difficult campaign, Finally, though, the protection of the automation clause
requiring perseverance and patience in building is limited to the life of the EBA. A better alternative might
membership solidarity and support, together with in the have been to tie the life of the automation clause to the
main, protected industrial action over a number of years period of the ban in that separate, legally binding
in bringing about a successful outcome. This has been arrangement rather than include it within the EBA. The
an important success given this Philippines based Company may have been forced to agree to a lesser
Company banging on about its intention to develop a period on that basis.
highly automated operation.

It’s an observation rather than a criticism. The union
dropped the ball initially, primarily arising from a new SEE PAGE 2: ‘VIRTUE OUT OF NECESSITY’
and inexperienced Victorian branch leadership team CHRISTY CAIN’S RESURRECTION
taking over at a critical time. Perhaps it was also the [Cite your source here.]