Australian dock workers are pushing for a 28-hour working week with no reduction in pay, arguing that employees should benefit from productivity gains as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation become increasingly common at the country’s ports.
The demand comes amid growing concerns over automation plans by global port operator DP World, which the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) claims could place hundreds of jobs at risk.
According to the union, if DP World continues introducing AI and automated systems into its operations, workers deserve what it describes as a “social dividend” rather than facing job losses or reduced job security.
“If DP World wants AI and automation, then they must pay the social dividend. New technology should not cost our members their jobs or livelihoods simply to increase company profits,” the union said in a recent statement.
A study by the Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research, commissioned by the MUA, found that DP World has been expanding trials of AI tools to manage staff and workplace scheduling. The report also alleged that the company has been introducing automation without meaningful consultation with employees.
The study warned that as many as 1,000 jobs, or more than 60 per cent of the dock and maintenance workforce, could eventually be affected by the company’s automation programme.
Among the technologies reportedly being considered are AI-assisted remote-controlled cranes and driverless vehicles, further fuelling workers’ fears over future employment.
The MUA insisted that technological advancements should improve workers’ lives rather than replace them, using the issue to justify its call for shorter working hours without any loss of income.
Dock workers employed by DP World in Australia currently work around 32 to 35 hours a week, depending on their location, according to the Australian Financial Review, which first reported the negotiations.
Headquartered in Dubai, DP World is one of the world’s largest port operators and is ultimately controlled by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The company manages millions of shipping containers annually through Australian ports, including Sydney and Melbourne, and operates in 84 countries with a global workforce of more than 126,000 employees, handling roughly 10 per cent of the world’s container traffic.
DP World has not publicly commented on the union’s latest demands.
