A leading Australian meat exporter says the Port Botany wharf dispute is causing delays that threaten to disrupt the entire supply chain.
Fletcher International Exports director Roger Fletcher said ships had bypassed Sydney during union-led work bans at the port, hindering the exporter's ability to get orders delivered on time.
Frequent work stoppages have slowed shipping processes at the port while unions negotiate a pay rise for dock workers.
Mr Fletcher fears buyers will cancel contracts, which would impact supply chains and cause a ripple effect in regional farming communities.
"We're fighting for the farmers," he said.
"A farmer grows an animal … then it gets carted to the abattoirs, to the containers, then the containers go to the wharf.
"There's thousands of people involved in that, and one little link where they've got to pick up the container and put it on the ship is inefficient.
"The disruption is terrible."
Chain reaction
Mr Fletcher said the situation for exporters worsened as pay negotiations between the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and terminal operator Patrick disintegrated.
"It's just got tougher and tougher, because the ships that were coming into Sydney are now bypassing," he said.
"What do I tell my customer when he doesn't get the product? Or the ship that was coming in has gone away from Port Botany because they couldn't get a berth?"
Mr Fletcher said as products have expiry dates, they face being rejected in markets, downgraded or frozen.
"I lose clients, the farmer's losing clients, because they say, 'Well, we don't want your chilled meat anymore, you're too unreliable,'" he said.
Union rejects claims
In a statement, the MUA denied the strike had any impact on fresh produce and refrigerated containers.
"Our industrial action has included an exception from the very start for all refrigerated containers and fresh produce," it said.
A 24-hour strike at Patrick's Brisbane and Port Botany terminals planned by the MUA for this Friday is in front of the Fair Work Commission today.
The union said it would put forward what it called a "peace deal", lowering their demands for yearly pay increases from 6 per cent to 2.5 per cent.
National secretary Paddy Crumlin said agreeing to the deal would immediately end all industrial action at Patrick container terminals.
"It would provide certainty for farmers, exporters, and the general community," he said.
"And allow Patrick and the union to refocus our efforts on the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID crisis."
