The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) has demanded a 28-hour work week with no loss of pay for DP World dock workers, as the port giant pushes artificial intelligence (AI) and automation across the country's ports. The union said the technology has put jobs "in the crosshairs".
DP World, which handles around 40% of Australia's container shipments, is increasingly testing AI tools to manage employees and work schedules, according to a study commissioned by the MUA. The automation programme threatens up to a thousand jobs — more than 60% of the dock and maintenance workforce — the study said. The company has also proposed AI-assisted remote-control cranes and driverless vehicles.
“Australian dock workers demand a 28-hour week with no pay cut as AI and automation threaten jobs at ports.”
"If DP World wants AI and automation, then they must pay the social dividend," the union said in a statement on 3 July. "The new technology doesn't have to cost our members their jobs or put their livelihoods at risk just so a terminal operator can boost profits."
DP World dock workers currently work around 32 to 35 hours a week, depending on their location, according to the Australian Financial Review. The state-owned company, ultimately controlled by Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, operates ports in Sydney, Melbourne and other parts of Australia. Last year, its Asia Pacific chief executive Glen Hilton said the use of AI is "no longer optional" but essential for managing complex supply chains.
The union argues the technology "should be used to improve workers' lives, not destroy them," as it pushes for the reduced working week.