Published: 22 May 2017
This offshore update comes after another massive win for the MUA and it’s members in Fair Work against Farstad’s campaign to sack IR’s and Cooks.
We also report on the closing out of more MUA “Job Security” agreements. And so it continues – while Farstad wages it’s ideological war on behalf of AMMA against the MUA and it’s own workforce the rest of the industry continues to settle agreements that contain all of the clauses we have been campaigning for to prosecute our case for the job security of MUA members in the offshore oil and gas industry.
MUA WIN AGAINST FARSTAD IN FAIR WORK TO PREVENT FARSTAD’S ATTEMPTED FORCED SACKINGS OF MUA MEMBERS
As mentioned in the previous 2 updates after MUA members voted down Farstad’s non-union agreement, in retaliation Farstad shortly after notified of the need for about 80 redundancies for MUA members. We have been opposing those redundancies since they were announced for a whole heap of valid reasons and as a result we threw the matter into Fair Work. That hearing was last Monday May 15th.
We can now report that the MUA won this case convincingly.
The summary below has to be kept brief because Farstad may well appeal the decision. The decision clearly highlights again the critical importance of the MUA’s campaign for job security and protection of jobs in the offshore industry. Attached to this email is the decision from the Fair Work Commission relating to our application to prevent Farstad making forced redundancies.
It is worth noting that Farstad were represented on the day of the hearing by no less the 5 lawyers with 2 of them flown in from the East. For a company that is trying to “save costs”, it is pretty clear that no money is spared when trying to get rid of MUA members. The MUA were represented by National Industrial Officer Elyane Palmer with evidence being given by WA Branch Assistant Secretary Danny Cain and Deputy National Secretary Will Tracey.
The Deputy President found in favour of the MUA on all points. This means for the moment that the forced redundancies are put on hold. Despite the victory, it is likely that Farstad/AMMA will appeal the decision throwing more money at legal representation in an attempt to push through their agenda. We will now seek to get to the table with Farstad in a Fair Work conference in the coming days/weeks to discuss how we proceed on the back of this favourable decision.
It remains our position that there will be no forced redundancies of MUA members and we will proceed with whatever steps need to be taken after we have a chance to sit down with Farstad and go through the fallout from the Fair Work decision. As always, we cannot put everything down in email but we have to say a massive thanks to the Farstad Committee and MUA members who provided invaluable information and offered to take leave to save MUA jobs.
We will next update after we have been through the Fair Work process over coming weeks.
MUA MEMBERS AT MERMAID MARINE VOTE UP MUA “JOB SECURITY” AGREEMENT
In the last week all but one employee at Mermaid Marine voted up the MUA “Job Security” agreement. That is – over 99% of MUA members voted for our agreement in an overwhelming endorsement of the MUA campaign around job security in the offshore industry. The agreement has now been sent to Fair Work for Approval.
ESS/COMPASS OFFSHORE AGREEMENT SUPPORTING MUA “JOB SECURITY” OUTCOMES APPROVED BY MUA MEMBERS AND SENT TO FAIR WORK FOR APPROVAL
MUA members at ESS voted 100% in favour of the MUA “Job Security” agreement and this week it was lodged in Fair Work for the approval process. This agreement should be formally registered some time over the next fortnight or so.
DOF OFFSHORE AGREEMENT SUPPORTING MUA “JOB SECURITY” OUTCOMES GOES OUT TO VOTE
As reported in the previous update the MUA and DOF, through a process facilitated by Fair Work, reached agreement in principle on a “Job Security” Enterprise Agreement (EA) that supports our campaign for our jobs in this in this industry.
We can now report that the agreement went out for members to look at last Friday May 19th and voting on the agreement will open this Saturday May 27th. We are of course urging all MUA members to vote YES to the new DOF agreement that falls into line with all of the “Job Security” agreements we have been securing recently across the offshore industry.
MUA AND FUGRO APPLY TO HAVE GREENFIELDS “JOB SECURITY” AGREEMENT REGISTERED IN FAIR WORK
The MUA has reached agreement with Fugro on a new Greenfields agreement that has been sent to Fair Work for approval. Because Fugro does not employ any MUA members currently and has no agreement in place it is a Greenfields agreement that contains all of the key job security provisions we have established in all of our MUA agreements across the offshore industry.
IN unity on behalf of MUA Officials and Delegates
Will Tracey
Deputy National Secretary
Maritime Union of Australia (MUA)
