[Muanet] Captain Cook Discovers WorkChoices

[Chris Latham]

Captain Cook Discovers WorkChoices

Suspicion is growing that Captain Cook Cruises is endeavouring to be
Australia's first employer to use John Howard's new work laws to cut
workers rights. 
The Maritime Union smelt a rat after the company made a bizarre bid to
strike a three-month non-union agreement rather than negotiate with its
workers. 
The company is refusing to negotiate with the MUA despite requests from
a largely casualised workforce who want the union to act as their
bargaining agent. 
"We've got a lot of members who are employed at Captain Cook Cruises and
they want us to represent them in this dispute," says MUA Sydney branch
secretary Robert Coombs. 
Following the company's attempts to register the three-month non-union
agreement the Maritime Union was granted leave to give reasons why it
should be a party to the agreement. 
"No one wants a three-month agreement, unless they've got an ulterior
motive," Coombs, said. 
Captain Cook Cruises then attempted to withdraw its application for the
EBA but was stopped by Commissioner Raffielli who decided to hear the
matter at a later date. 
Coombs says this shows how Captain Cook Cruises is prepared to put up
every obstacle it can to avoid negotiations and suggested that the
company was simply waiting until the regulations were in place so that
it could take advantage of WorkChoices. 
Workers Online contacted Anthony Howarth CEO of Captain Cook Cruises but
he was unavailable for comment. 

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