‘Disgust’ at port work cuts

WHITSUNDAY community leaders have expressed “disgust” at a coal port contractor’s plan to replace local workers with out of town imports from “Western Australia, Townsville and all over to woop woop”.

Deputy Mayor Mike Brunker spoke up at a meeting at Bowen on behalf of up to 19 local workers facing the axe from tug boat crews operating out of the Port of Abbot Point, urging his fellow councillors to join him in demanding a “please explain” from those involved in the decision.

Mr Brunker said he had heard repeated assurances from North Queensland Bulk Ports that locals would be “looked after” in the upcoming transition from the current provider Bowen Towage Services to the Western Australiabased Engage Marine, but had recently learned “we’re going to have 19 of our locals shafted with this new company”.

Mr Brunker’s motion that the council write to the NQBP’S CEO expressing grave concerns about the situation “that will result in the loss of numerous local jobs” received unanimous support.

“Nineteen people might not sound much to anybody, but that will be millions of dollars of wages taken out of this community,” Mr Brunker said.

“I would like to see what could be done about keeping as much local labour content here as possible.”

The council’s resolution follows comments from the Maritime Union of Australia that Engage Marine’s decision to recruit outside of Bowen ahead of its October takeover threatened to “rip apart the social fabric” of the town by forcing residents to look elsewhere for work and take their families with them.

MUA Queensland assistant branch secretary Paul Gallagher said Abbot Point’s tug crews comprised long-term residents of the Bowen area – some having worked at the port for more than 20 years – and the union would fight to defend “each and every one of these good quality local jobs at a time when regional Queensland is so desperate for secure employment opportunities”.

“The MUA refuses to accept our members being thrown on the unemployment scrap heap after so many years of service to the Bowen community, the maritime industry and the Queensland economy,” Mr Gallagher said.

Engage Marine responded by stating the company would employ 24 full-time employees “who will reside locally in the vicinity of Bowen”.

Of these, a company spokesperson said 12 were current employees of the existing local operator and an additional 10 were existing North

Queensland residents that met local recruitment criteria.

“Two people will relocate to the region from other parts of Engage Marine, having family and personal connections with the local area,” the spokesperson said. The company stated it believed it had upheld its commitment to a “fully localised” workforce.

“All employees of the existing local operator who submitted an expression of interest were offered interviews for the relevant position,” the spokesperson said. “A fair and equitable process followed.”