POAGS, a supplier of stevedoring logistics and port management services, said awarding the claim by the Maritime Union of Australia would increase its labour costs by 80 per cent over three years.
Chris Corrigan, the former Patrick chief who took on the union during the historic 1998 waterfront dispute, is chairman of POAGS.
The union’s assistant national secretary, Warren Smith said the company’s claim that labour costs would jump by 80 per cent was “total rubbish” and the union had modified its claim by “at least 50 per cent” during negotiations with POAGS.