A union representative has slammed Port Kembla Coal Terminal management, saying they have shown “total disrespect” to its workers.
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The PKCT locked out workers on Saturday morning for seven days in the latest step in negotiations for a new enterprise agreement.
The workers’ union says the main sticking point was PKCT’s wish to remove a clause protecting workers from being sacked and replaced by contract labour.
In a statement released on Wednesday, PKCT said it is “offering long-term job security for its blue-collar workers, as part of a new enterprise agreement”.
“The management of PKCT has provided the written reassurance on job security out of the goodwill it continues to demonstrate to its permanent workforce and in a bid to end the industrial action the company has faced since December 2017.
“The proposed job security clause will apply to all of the trades and operator employees at the terminal and is a clear commitment of permanent jobs.”
The CFMEU’s Bob Timbs said PKCT management has shown “total disrespect” to its workers by issuing this public statement.
“What they have put on the table is a ‘job security’ clause riddled with holes you could drive a truck through,” he said.
“It took our legal team all of two minutes to assess that this clause would offer zero protection to any of the permanent workers at the terminal. A vague statement of intent is no job security guarantee, especially when it’s coming from this management.
“There was a job security clause in the original enterprise agreement that made it extremely clear that the company cannot sack a permanent worker and replace them with a contractor.
“It would be simple to replicate this clause.”