Strife returns to the waterfront...is history repeating itself? Has the Coalition gone soft on IR?

[Qld IR Consultant]

In a recent article in Lloyds List DCN, a colleague of mine Grace Collier maintained, as do I, that the current Fair Work Act has significant scope within it for employers to successfully mitigate the impacts a Trade Union may have on their business.

Many of you may remember the famous 1998 waterfront industrial action where the then Howard Government, and Patricks, took on the MUA in a dispute that lead to a number of arrests, and a significant win for the union movement.

One of the stories I have been told was however the number of now high profile union officials that fled the scene as the clash unfolded. Apparently getting arrested for upholding what you believe in was not on their agendas. But apparently allowing their staff and fellow officials to clash with police and be arrested was.

All this aside, Grace touches on an important factor. The current legislation allows for a number of actions to be taken by the employer at strategic times to ensure that history does not repeat itself. The waterfront, and dealing with militant blue collar unionists is no different.

The only power a union has is its ability to mobilise your own employees against you. Take away that ability, or severely, but legally, restrict it, and they have lost the battle.

Here is how i see this dispute unfolding:

The company resolve will buckle. This will of course not be advertised. It will be portrayed as a common position and understanding being achieved through pro-active negotiations.

The MUA will add the feather to their caps, it will continue to revive militant actions in other unions by way of "if the MUA can do it so can we", and once again the australian economy will suffer in the hands of the supposedly righteous.

In the battles to come there will be winners and losers, employers just need to decide which one they want to be.

Your thoughts?