Warren Smith, deputy national secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) told Green Left that the union is involved in a critical struggle against multinational corporation Dubai Port World’s (DPW) push to automate its container terminal operations at four terminals across the country. It is a union busting exercise, he said.

DPW, controlled by the government of Dubai and the Dubai Royal family, operates out of Magan-djin/Brisbane, Gadigal Country/Sydney, Naarm/Melbourne and Walyulap/Fremantle.

Smith said that DPW plans a $600 million plus investment “replace skilled Australian wharfies with automated vehicles and robotic cranes”.

According to the MUA, the company extracts hundreds of millions of dollars each year from businesses and consumers but pays next to no tax. 

“Workers’ wages and their taxes — around $70 million in 2025 — make up the company’s primary economic contribution,” it said.

“This automation initiative is not about productivity or supply chain efficiency,” Smith said. “In fact, international evidence shows automated container terminals are less productive, more expensive to run, and less safe for workers than ones operated by highly skilled stevedores.

“DP World only delivered its plan after it finalised bargaining with the MUA. It did not raise it during bargaining to avoid the union taking protected industrial........

© Green Left Weekly