激化する豪の港湾労使紛争 | アップクロース | 英語とお仕事 | The Japan Times ST オンライン

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These mass firings <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#trigge">triggered</A> one of the largest industrial <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#disput">disputes</A> Australia has seen in recent memory. Australians <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#are fi">are fixed to</A> their newspapers and televisions to watch this dispute <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#unfold">unfold</A>.<p>The "war on Australia's <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#waterf">waterfront</A>" is a battle between Patrick, the <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#Mariti">Maritime Union</A> of Australia (M.U.A.) — the union that controls waterfront working conditions — and Australia's federal government. <p>Ausatralia's wharves and ports <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#curren">currently</A> rank as some of <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#the le">the least efficient</A> in the <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#develo">developed world</A>. In addition to this low productivity, Australian <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#shippi">shipping</A> <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#is bur">is burdened with</A> extremely high <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#wagere">wage</A> costs, which <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#are se">are set by</A> the M.U.A. The average Australian waterfront worker earns <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#$Aaaaa">A$</A>74,000 (¥6.51 million) per year for working 35 hours per week and 41 weeks per year. These pay conditions seem <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#outrag">outrageous</A> when compared to the average Australian who earns $35,000 (¥3.08 million) per year for working 40 hours per week, 48 weeks per year.<p>Some of the industries most <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#affect">affected by</A> the inefficient waterfront are Australia's <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#mining">mining</A> and agriculture industries — among the world's most efficient. In a competitive international market, they are burdened with excessive shipping costs for both imports and exports.<p>Australia's waterfront has been a point of <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#conten">contention</A> for several years, but the dispute escalated when the M.U.A. waterfront workers, known as "wharfies," <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#went o">went on strike</A> recently at five major Australian ports, costing Patrick $56 million (¥4.93 billion).<p>In an attempt to <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#ease t">ease the conflict</A>, Patrick offered a 6 percent pay rise for all union wharfies if productivity and work practices improved. It appeared that the M.U.A. was not willing to negotiate. <p>At midnight, April 7, Patrick <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#CEOchy">CEO</A> Chris Corrigan <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#made t">made the controversial decision</A> to sack all 1,400 union waterfront workers. The union employees were replaced immediately with only 700 non-union employees.<p>The M.U.A. <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#retali">retaliated</A> immediately, setting up <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#picket">pickets</A> at all wharves that Patrick stevedores work. The M.U.A. gathered support from other unions and <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#blocka">blockaded the paths</A> of <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#cargot">cargo trains</A> and vehicles trying to transport containers. These protests <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#hinder">hindered</A> not only Patrick, but many other businesses as well.<p>One such victim of the picketing was a Toyota <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#manufa">manufacturing plant</A> in Melbourne, which was forced to <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#tempor">temporarily</A> shut down its production line. The plant's 2,500 employees were told to take <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#annual">annual leave</A> until 45 containers, containing car parts, could <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#be unl">be unloaded</A> and delivered from a Melbourne dock. <p>Australia's prime minister, John Howard, blamed the M.U.A. for the shutdown. "It won't be the first time that the actions of that union have cost people their jobs and damaged business," he said.<p><A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#In the">In the shadow of</A> <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#upcomi">upcoming elections</A>, the <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#reigni">reigning</A> Liberal government and the <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#opposi">opposition</A> Labor party <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#choses">chose sides</A> <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#tactfu">tactfully</A>. Traditionally, Labor governments support unions while Liberal governments back <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#privat">private enterprise</A>. For this reason the Liberal government was quick to support the firings and <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#slamdr">slam</A> the inefficiency of the M.U.A.. The Labor opposition stood against that stance.<p>One of Australia's leading current affair television programs invited Australians to give their opinion on the dispute with a <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#nation">national phone poll</A>. Over 200,000 responded, with 73 percent supporting Patrick and the layoffs and only 23 percent supporting the M.U.A. and the sacked wharfies. <p>Two weeks after the firings, the <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#Federa">Federal Court</A> gave an order for Patrick stevedores to <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#reinst">reinstate</A> the 1,400 sacked wharfies. The dispute continues, however, as Patrick <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#appeal">appeals the decision</A> in the High Court. The jobless wharfies and the Australian public eagerly await developments in the dispute. <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#Whatev">Whatever the outcome</A>, however, one thing is sure: The past month marks a <A HREF="ac19980508chu.htm#waters">watershed</A> for unions across Australia. </h3><br /> <p> Australia's import and export industry was thrown into <A HREF="#turmoi">turmoil</A> last month when the Patrick <A HREF="#steved">stevedoring company</A> <A HREF="#sacked">sacked</A> 1,400 Australian <A HREF="#wharfw">wharf workers</A> at ports across the country. These mass firings <A HREF="#trigge">triggered</A> one of the largest industrial <A HREF="#disput">disputes</A> Australia has seen in recent memory. Australians <A HREF="#are fi">are fixed to</A> their newspapers and televisions to watch this dispute <A HREF="#unfold">unfold</A>.<p>The "war on Australia's <A HREF="#waterf">waterfront</A>" is a battle between Patrick, the <A HREF="#Mariti">Maritime Union</A> of Australia (M.U.A.) — the union that controls waterfront working conditions — and Australia's federal government. <p>Ausatralia's wharves and ports <A HREF="#curren">currently</A> rank as some of <A HREF="#the le">the least efficient</A> in the <A HREF="#develo">developed world</A>. In addition to this low productivity, Australian <A HREF="#shippi">shipping</A> <A HREF="#is bur">is burdened with</A> extremely high <A HREF="#wagere">wage</A> costs, which <A HREF="#are se">are set by</A> the M.U.A. The average Australian waterfront worker earns <A HREF="#$Aaaaa">A$</A>74,000 (¥6.51 million) per year for working 35 hours per week and 41 weeks per year. These pay conditions seem <A HREF="#outrag">outrageous</A> when compared to the average Australian who earns $35,000 (¥3.08 million) per year for working 40 hours per week, 48 weeks per year.<p>Some of the industries most <A HREF="#affect">affected by</A> the inefficient waterfront are Australia's <A HREF="#mining">mining</A> and agriculture industries — among the world's most efficient. In a competitive international market, they are burdened with excessive shipping costs for both imports and exports.<p>Australia's waterfront has been a point of <A HREF="#conten">contention</A> for several years, but the dispute escalated when the M.U.A. waterfront workers, known as "wharfies," <A HREF="#went o">went on strike</A> recently at five major Australian ports, costing Patrick $56 million (¥4.93 billion).<p>In an attempt to <A HREF="#ease t">ease the conflict</A>, Patrick offered a 6 percent pay rise for all union wharfies if productivity and work practices improved. It appeared that the M.U.A. was not willing to negotiate. <p>At midnight, April 7, Patrick <A HREF="#CEOchy">CEO</A> Chris Corrigan <A HREF="#made t">made the controversial decision</A> to sack all 1,400 union waterfront workers. The union employees were replaced immediately with only 700 non-union employees.<p>The M.U.A. <A HREF="#retali">retaliated</A> immediately, setting up <A HREF="#picket">pickets</A> at all wharves that Patrick stevedores work. The M.U.A. gathered support from other unions and <A HREF="#blocka">blockaded the paths</A> of <A HREF="#cargot">cargo trains</A> and vehicles trying to transport containers. These protests <A HREF="#hinder">hindered</A> not only Patrick, but many other businesses as well.<p>One such victim of the picketing was a Toyota <A HREF="#manufa">manufacturing plant</A> in Melbourne, which was forced to <A HREF="#tempor">temporarily</A> shut down its production line. The plant's 2,500 employees were told to take <A HREF="#annual">annual leave</A> until 45 containers, containing car parts, could <A HREF="#be unl">be unloaded</A> and delivered from a Melbourne dock. <p>Australia's prime minister, John Howard, blamed the M.U.A. for the shutdown. "It won't be the first time that the actions of that union have cost people their jobs and damaged business," he said.<p><A HREF="#In the">In the shadow of</A> <A HREF="#upcomi">upcoming elections</A>, the <A HREF="#reigni">reigning</A> Liberal government and the <A HREF="#opposi">opposition</A> Labor party <A HREF="#choses">chose sides</A> <A HREF="#tactfu">tactfully</A>. Traditionally, Labor governments support unions while Liberal governments back <A HREF="#privat">private enterprise</A>. For this reason the Liberal government was quick to support the firings and <A HREF="#slamdr">slam</A> the inefficiency of the M.U.A.. The Labor opposition stood against that stance.<p>One of Australia's leading current affair television programs invited Australians to give their opinion on the dispute with a <A HREF="#nation">national phone poll</A>. Over 200,000 responded, with 73 percent supporting Patrick and the layoffs and only 23 percent supporting the M.U.A. and the sacked wharfies. <p>Two weeks after the firings, the <A HREF="#Federa">Federal Court</A> gave an order for Patrick stevedores to <A HREF="#reinst">reinstate</A> the 1,400 sacked wharfies. The dispute continues, however, as Patrick <A HREF="#appeal">appeals the decision</A> in the High Court. The jobless wharfies and the Australian public eagerly await developments in the dispute. <A HREF="#Whatev">Whatever the outcome</A>, however, one thing is sure: The past month marks a <A HREF="#waters">watershed</A> for unions across Australia. <P><FONT SIZE=3><B>Shukan ST: May 8, 1998</B></FONT><br /> <FONT SIZE=1>(C) All rights reserved</p><br /> <br /> <p> <DL> <P> <P><DT><A NAME="turmoi"><B>turmoil</B></A><DD> 混乱 <P><DT><A NAME="steved"><B>stevedoring company</B></A><DD>荷役会社 <P><DT><A NAME="sacked"><B>sacked</B></A><DD>解雇した <P><DT><A NAME="wharfw"><B>wharf workers</B></A><DD>港湾労働者 <P><DT><A NAME="trigge"><B>triggered</B></A><DD>引き起こした <P><DT><A NAME="disput"><B>disputes</B></A><DD>論争 <P><DT><A NAME="are fi"><B>are fixed to <TT> </TT> ～ <TT> </TT></B></A><DD><TT> </TT> ～ <TT> </TT>にくぎ付けになっている <P><DT><A NAME="unfold"><B>unfold</B></A><DD>展開する <P><DT><A NAME="waterf"><B>waterfront</B></A><DD>波止場地区 <P><DT><A NAME="Mariti"><B>Maritime Union</B></A><DD>海運組合 <P><DT><A NAME="curren"><B>currently</B></A><DD>現在のところ <P><DT><A NAME="the le"><B>the least efficient</B></A><DD>最も能率の悪い <P><DT><A NAME="develo"><B>developed world</B></A><DD>先進国 <P><DT><A NAME="shippi"><B>shipping</B></A><DD>海運 <P><DT><A NAME="is bur"><B>is burdened with <TT> </TT> ～ <TT> </TT></B></A><DD><TT> </TT> ～ <TT> </TT>の重荷に苦しむ <P><DT><A NAME="wagere"><B>wage</B></A><DD>給与 <P><DT><A NAME="are se"><B>are set by <TT> </TT> ～ <TT> </TT></B></A><DD><TT> </TT> ～ <TT> </TT>によって定められた <P><DT><A NAME="$Aaaaa"><B>A$<TT> </TT> ～ <TT> </TT></B></A><DD><TT> </TT> ～ <TT> </TT>オーストラリア・ドル <P><DT><A NAME="outrag"><B>outrageous</B></A><DD>法外に高い <P><DT><A NAME="affect"><B>affected by <TT> </TT> ～ <TT> </TT></B></A><DD><TT> </TT> ～ <TT> </TT>の影響を受ける <P><DT><A NAME="mining"><B>mining</B></A><DD>鉱業 <P><DT><A NAME="compet"><B>competitive</B></A><DD>競争の激しい <P><DT><A NAME="conten"><B>contention</B></A><DD>労使紛争 <P><DT><A NAME="went o"><B>went on strike</B></A><DD>ストライキをした <P><DT><A NAME="ease t"><B>ease the conflict</B></A><DD>論争を鎮める <P><DT><A NAME="CEOchy"><B>CEO</B></A><DD>chief executive officer 最高経営責任者 <P><DT><A NAME="made t"><B>made the controversial decision</B></A><DD>論争の元となった決断を下した <P><DT><A NAME="retali"><B>retaliated</B></A><DD>報復措置にでた <P><DT><A NAME="picket"><B>pickets</B></A><DD>（組合員がスト破りを阻止するために行う）ピケ隊 <P><DT><A NAME="blocka"><B>blockaded the paths</B></A><DD>道をふさいだ <P><DT><A NAME="cargot"><B>cargo trains</B></A><DD>貨物列車</B></A><DD> <P><DT><A NAME="hinder"><B>hindered</B></A><DD>妨害した <P><DT><A NAME="manufa"><B>manufacturing plant</B></A><DD>製造工場 <P><DT><A NAME="tempor"><B>temporarily</B></A><DD>一時的に <P><DT><A NAME="annual"><B>annual leave</B></A><DD>年次休暇 <P><DT><A NAME="be unl"><B>be unloaded</B></A><DD>（荷を）降ろす <P><DT><A NAME="In the"><B>In the shadow of <TT> </TT> ～ <TT> </TT></B></A><DD><TT> </TT> ～ <TT> </TT>をおもんばかって <P><DT><A NAME="upcomi"><B>upcoming elections</B></A><DD>近づく選挙 <P><DT><A NAME="reigni"><B>reigning</B></A><DD>与党の <P><DT><A NAME="opposi"><B>opposition</B></A><DD>野党 <P><DT><A NAME="choses"><B>chose sides</B></A><DD>どちらにつくか選んだ <P><DT><A NAME="tactfu"><B>tactfully</B></A><DD>如才なく <P><DT><A NAME="privat"><B>private enterprise</B></A><DD>民間企業 <P><DT><A NAME="slamdr"><B>slam</B></A><DD>非難した <P><DT><A NAME="nation"><B>national phone poll</B></A><DD>電話による世論調査 <P><DT><A NAME="Federa"><B>Federal Court</B></A><DD>連邦裁判所 <P><DT><A NAME="reinst"><B>reinstate</B></A><DD>復職させる <P><DT><A NAME="appeal"><B>appeals the decision</B></A><DD>控訴する <P><DT><A NAME="Whatev"><B>Whatever the outcome</B></A><DD>結果がどうであろうと <P><DT><A NAME="waters"><B>watershed</B></A><DD>分岐点 </DL> </p> <br /> <hr size="1" noshade /> <ul> <li><a href="/st_contributors.htm">執筆者リスト</a></li> <li><a href="/st_contributors.htm">ＳＴについて</a></li> <li><a href="/st_faq.htm">よくある質問</a></li> <li><a href="/st_advertise.htm">広告掲載</a></li> <li><a href="/st_contactus.htm">お問い合わせ</a></li> <li><a href="/st_our_company.htm">会社概要</a></li> <li><a href="/st_privacypolicy.htm">プライバシーポリシー</a></li> <li><a href="/st_linkpolicy.htm">リンクポリシー</a></li> <li><a href="/st_copyright.htm">著作権</a></li> <li><a href="/st_sitemap.htm">サイトマップ</a></li> <br /> <li><a href="/"><i>トップページに戻る</i></a></li> </ul>