National waterfront stoppage branded 'sheer lunacy'

8/9/94

The four-day national waterfront stoppage has been branded as sheer lunacy by Labour Relations Minister Graham Kierath.

The Minister said the walk-off by maritime unions in protest over the Federal Government procrastinating on the Australian National Line issue demonstrated the unions' contempt for the Government.

"It is a disgrace that Western Australian ports can be shut down at the whim of the Sydney union hierarchy," Mr Kierath said.

"The union has mouthed concerns over the damage being done to ANL by the Federal Government's actions.

"But they have missed the real issue - what about the irreparable damage which is being done to this nation's industrial reputation and WA's export markets through yet another wildcat strike."

Mr Kierath said rather than going on strike, the unions should have made a direct approach to Transport Minister Laurie Brereton.

The ACTU had used this tactic to great effect to get its own way with Mr Brereton's industrial relations legislation, which now appeared as though it would be amended for the third time to accommodate further changes wanted by the unions.

"This is a selfish old-time dictatorial stoppage of the type which can bring our economic recovery to its knees," Mr Kierath said.

"It is a throw-back to the bad old days when there were massive queues of ships trapped off our coast because of wharf walk-offs."

The Minister said he suspected there was also an element of union greed in the strike because it feared for its substantial holding in Australian Stevedores which the Federal Government was talking about selling off.

Media contact:  Brian Coulter 222 9595 / 481 2133