Port of Melbourne

The MUA is planning strikes at ports in Sydney, Melbourne (pictured above), Fremantle and possibly Brisbane from Saturday unless Patrick agrees to key demands on wages and safety.

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

A new waterfront battle is looming with planned strikes by the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) set to cripple stevedoring company Patrick.

There has been relative harmony between the union and company since the bitter waterfront battle in 1998.

But the union is set to take industrial action which Patrick says will cripple productivity.