1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,199 Speaker 1: East workers who manage the offloading and storage of fuel 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 1: have announced that they're going to begin industrial action against 3 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:10,880 Speaker 1: the Dutch company Royal Vopak starting on Thursday. Now, joining 4 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: me on the line to tell us more about the 5 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: situation is Bulk Liquid's alliance organizer Shane Reside. Hi, Shane, 6 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 1: good morning, How are you good? Thank you, Thanks so 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,279 Speaker 1: much for your time this morning, Shane. What's the situation here? 8 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 2: Look, we find ourselves in this extraordinary situation where a 9 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 2: Dutch multinational company which was valued only a couple of 10 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 2: years ago in excess of a billion dollars. That's just 11 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 2: the Australian operation refusing to pay its workforce in the 12 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 2: Northern Territory the same pay conditions that they pay their 13 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 2: workforce in the Southern States. And so, just to be clear, 14 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 2: what we're talking about is the exact same people are 15 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 2: doing exactly the same roles, the exact same qualifications, and 16 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 2: for some reason the company refuses to understand that it 17 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 2: would be reasonable to pay them the same in paying condition. 18 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 1: Shane. Have they given any reason whatsoever as to why 19 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: there's the paid discrepancy between the two locations. 20 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 2: Look, they have, but to be honest, it's been quite muddled. 21 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 2: So the kinds of explanations they've been given about sometimes 22 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 2: about the cost of living, sometimes about the productivity of 23 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 2: the terminal, they seem to interchange those things around. There's 24 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 2: no consistency. What seems clear to us, the operators on 25 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 2: the ground and the union is that the company up 26 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 2: until now has felt as though they could get away 27 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 2: with it, and really that's their primary motivation for this discrepancy. 28 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: So talk me through what action now workers are planning. 29 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 2: So look, in the first instance, really all we're trying 30 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 2: to do is get the company to come to the 31 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 2: table and talk to us. So about two weeks ago, 32 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 2: we received four more correspondents from the company's barristar saying 33 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: that they saw no utility in further meetings with the union, 34 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: which to us was quite extraordinary because you know, we 35 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 2: were in the middle of the negotiation. All we're thinking 36 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 2: to do is get a deeper outcome, and then to 37 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 2: receive that kind of correspondence really was a bit shocking. So, look, 38 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 2: we're not interested in escalating, we're not interested in interrupting 39 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 2: a fuel supplies of the Northern Territory. All we want 40 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 2: to do is sit down with the company and get 41 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 2: a good outcome. So this first round of actions that 42 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 2: are going to commence at midnight tomorrow night is really 43 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 2: just about demonstrating to the company and to the people 44 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 2: of the Northern Territory that we're not knucking around and 45 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 2: that we're quite serious about wanting to sit down and 46 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:36,239 Speaker 2: get disordered. 47 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 1: So what action exactly is going to happen from midnight 48 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: tomorrow night. 49 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 2: So precisely, there is ban on operators pumping fuel or 50 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 2: transferring liquids in excess of seventy five percent maximum pump 51 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 2: speed E, which in ordinary language means that the operators 52 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 2: are going to be pumping fuel more slowly than what 53 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 2: they ordinarily would between tanks. A ban on preventative maintenance, 54 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:03,799 Speaker 2: a ban on assisting truck drivers in less a case 55 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 2: of emergency, and a ban on issuing playments to external contractors. 56 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 2: So low level actions that again aren't intended to cause 57 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 2: any major disruption. Really, all we're seeking to do is 58 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 2: demonstrate that we're united, we're serious, and that we're not 59 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 2: going to let a multinational company you like Lowpack treat 60 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 2: ordinary Territorians with such disdain. 61 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: So with that action that you are taking from midnight 62 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: tomorrow night. Do you sort of anticipate that it's going 63 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: to have any impact on the community at this point 64 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: or is it more just about making sure that the 65 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: company understands that you know, that is aren't happy. 66 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 2: Look, at this point, we don't think it will have 67 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 2: an impact on the community. We really don't want it 68 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 2: to have an impact on the community. You know, Like 69 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 2: the operator is at this terminal, as you'd imagine, work 70 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 2: really hard day in, day out, and they're proud of 71 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 2: their work, and so they well should be. You know, 72 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 2: they are responsible for the import of a really important 73 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 2: commodity that all Territorians need to live their ordinary lives, 74 00:03:58,440 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 2: and they want to keep doing that. That's all that 75 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 2: anyone wants to do. So it's not directed at interrupting 76 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 2: the foot fuel supply or anything like that. It's just 77 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 2: directed at trying to demonstrate to the company we're serious 78 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 2: and that we really want to get back to the 79 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 2: table and get this thing finished. 80 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: Shane, how long have you been at the negotiating table for? 81 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 2: For about three months so, you know, which is fairly 82 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: ordinary to these kinds of things. You know, the negotiations 83 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 2: up until now have been reasonable in the tone, and 84 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: we were really quite surprised that the company has turned 85 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 2: around and pulled down the shutters. You know, it seems like, 86 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 2: you know, behavior that's vastly disproportionate towards at stake. What's 87 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 2: even worse is that we got word from the company 88 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 2: that they've been actually making preparations to bring in foreigner 89 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:47,280 Speaker 2: operators from overseas to undermine our collective action. Now, that 90 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 2: would be a nuclear grade escalation from the company. And 91 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 2: I shudder to think the amount of money that they 92 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 2: must have spent trying to come up with this solution, 93 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 2: which clearly would have been money, resources, time, better span 94 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 2: talking to their own workforce to try and reach it 95 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 2: there in decent outcomes made of. 96 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 1: Things become quite hostile. Is that why they're sort of 97 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:11,360 Speaker 1: they're going down that pass. I mean, it does seem 98 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: like pretty extreme action from them, it. 99 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 2: Does, doesn't it. Yeah, You strangely, they haven't really been 100 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 2: that hostile, which is why it kind of caught us 101 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 2: by surprise. You know, like, I'm sure you've spoken to 102 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 2: unionists in the past on your show, where you know, 103 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,239 Speaker 2: things can get pretty heated, but this it wasn't really 104 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 2: particularly hostile. It seems to have been you know, small 105 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 2: steps and then suddenly this this very dramatic excalation from 106 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,600 Speaker 2: the company. So look, we really hope we can get 107 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:43,280 Speaker 2: around this situation getting worse. No one wants it to 108 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 2: get worse with it. You know, if we can sit 109 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 2: down like you know, grown ups, then I'm sure we're 110 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:50,239 Speaker 2: going to be able to find a solution. But having 111 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 2: said that, we're not going to let a multinational company 112 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 2: roll over the top of us. You know, this is 113 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 2: I don't It's like I said a couple of years ago, 114 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 2: it was valued at about a billion dollars just the 115 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 2: Australian operation. I would I couldn't even imagine how much 116 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 2: it's worth internationally. It's one of the biggest oil and 117 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 2: gas important and distribution companies on the base of the planet. 118 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 2: But they aren't prepared to, you know, come to the 119 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 2: table with a decent and equidable offers for a workforce 120 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 2: of ten territorians, so ten thinking about bringing in for 121 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 2: an operators. It's just extraordinary. So we're not going to 122 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 2: let that happen. We're not going to take We're not 123 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 2: going to allow a company like that to treat territories 124 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 2: with disrespect, because you imagine the signal that would then 125 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 2: to the rest of the rest of the world oil 126 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 2: and gas companies. You know, it's one company treatise like this, 127 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 2: then why not everyone? 128 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 1: So, Shane, you're talking ten territorians here. How long has 129 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 1: this facility been operating? And have some of you been 130 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: working there for a while? 131 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 2: About twenty years it's been operating. And the operators there, 132 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:51,039 Speaker 2: most of them have been there for a long time. 133 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 2: A couple operators have been there right from the start. 134 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 2: You know, are involved in the commissioning of the facility. 135 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:02,040 Speaker 2: You know they've been for all those years, you know, 136 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 2: running and maintaining and being responsible for all aspects of 137 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 2: keeping this facility running because they're proud of their work, 138 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 2: as they well should be. Like I said, it's a 139 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 2: really important commodity that they're responsible for bringing in for 140 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 2: the territory, and you know, they're the stewards of that facility. 141 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 2: They've been there much longer than what most managers have 142 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 2: been in the company. 143 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: Mike, what happens if the action that you that they 144 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: take this week doesn't work, what's going to be next 145 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 1: and what impact could it have on the fuel supply 146 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: for Territorians. 147 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 2: We haven't made any decisions about what our next action 148 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 2: would be. What I can say is that in our 149 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 2: protective action ballot, and for those who are listening who 150 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 2: aren't familiar with what that is, it's basically where you 151 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 2: sort of list the available actions that you can take legally. 152 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 2: It doesn't necessarily say that you will take those actions. 153 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 2: It just means that once you've gone through the process, 154 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 2: you can take them in illegal way. So on our 155 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 2: protected action belot, we've got a full gamut of potential 156 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 2: actions from you know, refusing to load ink into the printers, 157 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 2: which was a cheeky one, right through to you know, 158 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 2: complete work coppages. Now, like I said, we've got no 159 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 2: intention of taking any of those actions. It's not what 160 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 2: we want to do at this stage. I've got no 161 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 2: reason I think it will escalate to that. But if 162 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 2: the company continues to treat this workforce with this respect, 163 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 2: then you know we're going to have to sit down 164 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 2: and have a very serious conversation as a group of 165 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 2: operators about what we're what we're going to do. 166 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: And if it gets to that point, I mean, the 167 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:39,959 Speaker 1: reality here is that it would mean that the fuel 168 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: supply for for Darwinites. It's it's going to be in shortage, isn't. 169 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 2: Well. Look, ultimately that is I guess what could happen. 170 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,319 Speaker 2: You know that it is having a fuel important facility 171 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 2: for the Northern Territory, so you know, one does follow 172 00:08:56,280 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 2: the other. But you know, I would expect that the 173 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:04,719 Speaker 2: kind of pressure that this company would be experiencing from 174 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 2: public opinion would be such that they're likely to come, 175 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 2: you know, and behave like adults before they push us. 176 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,719 Speaker 1: Over that cliff, you would hope. So, now, Shane, I've 177 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 1: got to ask. I asked this whenever there is industrial 178 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 1: action our workers being greedy here, I mean, what are 179 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:21,199 Speaker 1: you guys after. 180 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 2: Look, it's a good question, and I'm glad that you 181 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 2: asked it, actually, because it is something that people talk about. Look, really, 182 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 2: what we're after is two things. Firstly, we want equity 183 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 2: with the Southern States. I really can't see any reason why, 184 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 2: you know, a group of workers who do the same 185 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:44,199 Speaker 2: job in the Northern Territory should be paid less than 186 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 2: what their counterparts in the Southern States get paid for 187 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 2: doing the same job when they're literally working for the 188 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 2: same company. So equity is a big thing. The second 189 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 2: thing we're keen for is a pay increase and biopay increase, 190 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 2: I mean a real pay increase, as you and your listeners, 191 00:09:57,679 --> 00:09:59,839 Speaker 2: no doubt are highly attuned to the cost of living. 192 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 2: It's been really spiraling over the last few months and 193 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 2: it's starting to hurt people. And so we don't want 194 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 2: the kind of pay increase that just has us treading water. 195 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 2: We want to pay increase that actually leaves us forward 196 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:12,319 Speaker 2: a little bit. Not heaps, not trying to change the 197 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 2: universe here, just something that you know, reflects their hard 198 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 2: work that these people have put in and these are 199 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 2: and your listeners will probably be aware and won't come 200 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 2: as a surprise. These people are paid more than what 201 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 2: a lot of other industries are. You know, you get 202 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:28,839 Speaker 2: paid more at the Paula DWhen then you get paid 203 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 2: in a supermarket. But what I would say about that 204 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 2: is that everybody in the Northern Territory deserves the pay rise. 205 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:38,559 Speaker 2: You know, like through this last period of the pandemic, 206 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 2: corporate profits have been really spiky. You know, the big 207 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 2: end of town has made extraordinary amounts of money out 208 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 2: of all of us, and all of us and those 209 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 2: of us in the supermarkets. To use that example right 210 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 2: through to the guys as the field terminal and journalists actually, 211 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 2: for that matter, we all deserve to have pay increases 212 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 2: that are above inflation because right now the companies have 213 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 2: taken all the gold and their sales away with it, 214 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 2: and they're expecting ordinary working people like yourself, like me, 215 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 2: like the operators that supported Dart one, to pay for 216 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 2: the cost of the inflation that they've created. 217 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: Well, Bulk Liquid's aligance organizer, Shane Reside, please keep us 218 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: up to date, let us know how things go. Hopefully 219 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:18,719 Speaker 1: this can be sorted and there is no impact sort 220 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 1: of across the community when it comes to the fuel supply, 221 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 1: and that you know that those workers are able to 222 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 1: get to the table with voepack. 223 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 2: Definitely, Well, thanks mate, appreciate it. 224 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: Thank you.