Engage Marine Pty Ltd (Engage Marine) is pleased to announce it has secured employee endorsement for a long term Enterprise Agreement (EA) for its Queensland operations, which had the endorsement of all three maritime unions.
Engage Marine commenced negotiations with the three unions in April 2021, following the award of a long term licence to provide towage services at Abbot Point, Queensland. All parties worked together collaboratively and respectfully to achieve this outcome, surpassing the challenges presented by the COVID-19 crisis, particularly in respect to face to face negotiations.
The vote on the EA took place over 20th and 21st January and resulted in an overwhelmingly positive response in favour of the agreement.
The result of this vote, delivers an agreement that provides Engage Marine’s Abbot Point operations with a sustainable workforce for the next four years and:
- Provides rightful respect to the Traditional Land Owners, the Juru people - guaranteeing trainee positions over the life of the agreement and priority of employment;
- Is a local agreement for Bowen - Local jobs are protected and service delivery is 100% focussed on the Abbot Point Coal terminal;
- Ensures promotion of diversity in the workplace;
- Delivers industry leading wages over the next four years, ensuring we continue to access the most skilled tug crews available; and
- Facilitates productivity enhancements, by ensuring those that perform the work are suitably rewarded.
Engage Marine Director of People & Culture, Luke Bettesworth said “Such a positive endorsement gives us the comfort that the employees, unions, and company are in alignment. I see this alignment being the cornerstone to ensuring we provide first class marine services in Queensland into the future. We are proud to achieve this outcome, which was achieved alongside the successful commencement of operations”.
The agreement will now be lodged with the Fair Work Commission for approval.
