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There is no clarity on the nation's waterfront as Patrick and MUA engage in a verbal stoush after the wharfies' return to work on Friday.

Patrick: MUA has yet to guarantee there won’t be more strike action

Australian stevedoring company Patrick has welcomed the eleventh hour decision by the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) to lift its industrial action at Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle container terminals, but said that the parties are no closer to a resolution of this matter.

Patrick Director Paul Garaty said that the MUA’s decision to lift the bans does not change the fundamental issues behind the MUA’s claims.

“We are pleased that the union has recognised what they were doing to the importers and exporters of Australia. These people have suffered enough at the hands of natural disasters without now having to suffer at the hands of the MUA.

“Having held the importers and exporters in this country to ransom it appears the union wants to be thought of as heroes for removing their own industrial action. Make no mistake, unless the MUA removes the threat of further industrial action, it will continue to call strikes, which hurts not only our business, but also the hundreds of small businesses, farmers, truckers and retailers who are already voicing their concerns.

“The union should guarantee all Australians that it will take no further strikes, bans or limitations of any kind in their pursuit of an unsustainable wage increase and other demands from the company.

“It is ironic that the union has withdrawn its industrial action at a time when the validity of that action would have been tested in Fair Work Australia. The Union will now return to work on the weekend and make up much of its lost pay on overtime.

“As part of the negotiations, Patrick has offered an increase of fifteen percent over the life of the agreement – which equates to a five percent increase each and every year for three years with an in-built productivity component to balance wage increases with improvements in productivity consistent with the premise of the Fair Work Act,” he said.

Patrick said it will continue to work within the Fair Work process and continues to offer to the union the opportunity to enter into voluntary conciliation to reach agreement.

MUA: We are saving Patrick from itself

The MUA has put to its members that protected industrial action in the form of limited work bans at Patrick container terminals in Sydney, Brisbane and Fremantle be lifted.

MUA workers showed up for work on Friday in Sydney, Brisbane and Fremantle.

"Patrick has chosen to escalate this dispute by unilaterally closing down its container terminals, which was never intended by the MUA," National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said.

Deputy National Secretary Mick Doleman said the MUA had always intended to continue to work after the latest notification.

"Patrick owns the decision to shut down the ports but in any event the union has determined that work should resume in an effort to undo the damage of Patrick's decisions.

"We're saving Patrick from themselves.”

The union said its concerns about safety and training remain.

“Safety is the critical productivity issue on the Australian waterfront.

“The stevedoring industry has an appalling safety record in this country and the union needs to address this as part of the next EBA.

"We will now consult with our members and consult with the company and seek suitable resolution to the current dispute and the remaining areas of disagreement," Mr Doleman said.

"MUA members have been exercising their right to take limited industrial action by only working within their job description - with no overtime or transfers. This is legally protected industrial action granted by Fair Work Australia."

It is not known how the return-to-work has affected shipping movements, as a number of shipping lines had already decided to cut Australia from their schedules after the seven-day strike was declared.