[290815.EN.BIZ] Hutchison Hints Australian Operations At Risk Unless Dockers Settle Down

HONG KONG's Hutchison organisation appears to threaten drastic action to resolve labour problems in its Australian operations unless it gets co-operation from workers after laying off 87 dockers in Brisbane and Sydney.

"In the context of the conciliation conferences before the Fair Work Commission, the company has put forward a number of ways of resolving the current impasse," said Hutchison Ports Australia (HPA) personnel chief Harriet Mihalopoulos.

But without agreement Ms Mihalopoulos said HPA is now considering all of its options ahead of the Federal Court hearing on September 1.

"The company has maintained its position that unfortunately due to severe financial pressures, it has had to make some hard decisions about the Australian operations," she said.

"Hutchison Ports Australia (HPA) says it remains committed to negotiating a resolution to the current industrial dispute with workers in Brisbane and Sydney," said its press statement.

"HPA has invested A$700 million (US$498 million) in the Australian operations since June 2013 and made an A$87 million loss for the 2014 calendar year.

"The company has been incurring substantial losses in Australia after finding it extremely difficult to break into the current duopoly in the Australian market," said the press release.

Source : HKSG.