MUA takes Patrick to court

BY DANIEL KELLY

SYDNEY — The Central New South Wales branch of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA)is taking legal action against Patrick Stevedores over the work conditions of straddle operators at the company's Port Botany container terminal.

In an October 25 media release, the union advised that it is prosecuting Patrick under Section 15(1) of the NSW Occupational Health and Safety Act on behalf of six Sydney straddle drivers.

Straddles carry shipping containers between ships, stacks and trucks. The cabins of the straddles used at Patrick have cramped, poorly designed cabins without ergonomically designed seats.

The work of straddle operators requires them to twist and strain their heads and necks up to 90^o sideways for hours at a time while driving these 10 metre high machines. The problem with straddles has been aggravated by changes to work conditions at Patrick following the major dispute of 1998.

Prior to the dispute, three operators were allocated to each two straddles, allowing for job rotation, with one driver doing other tasks while two operated straddles. But since the dispute and the negotiation of a new enterprise agreement, Patrick has cut back on drivers, job rotation and breaks.

Drivers can now be required to work day after day with only one break in every eight-hour shift. This is despite research and a series of reports recommending a maximum of four hours per eight-hour shift be spent in awkward working postures.

The MUA reports that an estimated 30 out of 120 wharfies at Patrick Port Botany suffer from neck, shoulder and back injuries, with dozens seeking physiotherapy. The situation in other states is not believed to be any better. This is the price of productivity gains and the pursuit of increased profits for Patrick.

From GLW issue 427