Tugboat hearing
FAIR Work Australia started a two-day hearing yesterday to try to resolve a Gladstone tugboat operators' wage dispute.
Three unions are in a dispute with Smit, the towage company that runs tugs to assist vessels in both berthing and sailing manoeuvres in and out of Gladstone Harbour.
Strike action that would have effectively shut down operations at the port, impacting on exports and imports, was avoided in June when Smit agreed to have the matter heard by the industrial umpire.
The three unions are the Maritime Union of Australia, the Australian Maritime Officers Union and the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers.
