STRIKES * Australia - Trucking feels the pain from Patrick strike

Patrick Queensland,Australia -The Queensland Business Review, by Brad Gardner -May 25, 2011: -- The trucking industry is bracing for a financially painful fallout from the Maritime Union Australia’s (MUA) decision bring stevedore Patrick to a halt... Ignoring a last-minute plea from Patrick, the MUA has forged ahead with industrial action in a bid to secure better pay and conditions under a new enterprise bargaining agreement... Strikes will run for six days in Brisbane and for seven days in Sydney and Fremantle, which Patrick estimates will directly affect 27,950 containers. Action at the Port of Melbourne was called off... Johnston’s Transport General Manager, Mike Moylan, says transport operators will incur substantial costs due to a lack of work... Operators will also face scheduling headaches and higher wage bills, with Moylan saying drivers will need to work overtime and on weekends to clear a backlog of tasks once industrial action ends... (Photo from lloydslistdcn.com.au: Patrick and MUA to resume talks)