Australian state-owned sub builder hit by more strikes at crucial shipyard

7/8/2024 17:35

        Workers at Australian state-owned submarine builder ASC Ltd began a four-day strike on Wednesday, escalating a campaign for higher wages that threatens maintenance work on the aging submarine fleet Australia must rely on until its nuclear-powered AUKUS replacements arrive in the 2030s.
        
        The 100-hour strike began at noon on Wednesday and includes all of the roughly 350 blue-collar workers at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia state, where Australia maintains its fleet of Collins-class submarines, according to the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union.
        
        The strikes, the latest in a series since May, are adding months of delays to maintenance work on two of Australia's six Collins submarines, according to the union.
        
        ASC said in a statement it could not comment on submarine availability for national security reasons.
        
        Workers are striking over what they say are discrepancies in pay between those employed by ASC Ltd in South Australia state and Western Australia state.