Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes the termination by Hutchison Ports Australia of 97 of its employees by notice given in text messages and emails sent late at night on Thursday, 6 August 2015;

(b) affirms that the method of giving notice of termination of its employees by Hutchison Ports Australia was callous and disrespectful to its employees, and has no place in any workplace; and

(c) having regard to the potential disruption to Australia's ports the dispute may cause, calls on the parties to the dispute to respect pre-dispute employment arrangements and to commence co-operative negotiations to resolve the dispute as soon as possible.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move an amendment to Senator Cameron's motion as circulated in the chamber.

Leave not granted.

Question agreed to.

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Employment has all along called on parties to show each other respect and due consideration. Redundancy is a delicate issue. Even when a workforce anticipates that redundancies are likely, as it appears may have occurred in this case, it is still a difficult time for workers and their families when they are told that they are going to be made redundant. It is regrettable that the method of communicating with workers has not helped this already difficult situation. There is an enterprise agreement that applies at this workplace, and it includes consultation requirements and a dispute resolution clause. I urge all parties to comply with all requirements in the enterprise agreement. This issue has been referred to the independent umpire by both the employer and the union. It is incumbent on all parties to engage with the commission in working through the issues. It is not for industrial parties to pick and choose which of the independent umpire's decisions they will abide by. Such an approach only devalues the institution of the independent Fair Work Commission.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First of all, could I indicate that the motion that was before the Senate, general business notice of motion No. 783, was in my name and Senator Rhiannon's. I apologise for missing that out.

Could I also indicate that it is okay coming here talking about Fair Work Australia and about people needing to get round the table to deal with these issues, but this is the first time I have ever heard of this happening in Australia where workers have received an email or a text message to sack them from a major multinational company. This is outrageous. I thank the Senate for supporting the resolution in my name and Senator Rhiannon's name, and I think it is incumbent upon this company to get round the table with the workers and the Maritime Union of Australia, resolve this dispute and treat its workers with respect.

Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

) ( ): I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I also thank the Senate for passing this. This will give great encouragement to the workers who are being put in the very difficult position of losing their jobs in such an ugly way. By text and email is certainly not the way any workplace should be conducted. The MUA and the workers who Senator Cameron and I were with, on Sunday, said they just want to sit down and negotiate and that they are very committed to making their work productive. There is already a high level of productivity there and they are ready to negotiate to ensure that this is a well-functioning port. The concern that many of them spoke about is that this company, Hutchison, is very centred on setting up a body-hire system. That is something that we see as a tactic coming from this government where they are committed to stripping down penalty rates, and there was a real concern that what will be critical to winning this campaign is defeating the Abbott government.