Container terminal operator Patrick Terminals has lodged its application to the Fair Work Commission in a bid to stop the ongoing industrial actions occurring in four of its ports. Patrick, which handles around 40 percent of the nation’s container freight at its Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth ports, applied to terminate Maritime Union of Australia’s (MUA) ongoing industrial action on the grounds of threatening to cause significant damage to the Australian economy. “Since May, our terminals have faced an unrelenting barrage of ongoing industrial action by the MUA that has impacted all terminal users including importers, exporters and shipping lines,” Patrick CEO Michael Jovicic said on Nov. 8. “Delays are escalating, and we have continually pleaded with the MUA to negotiate without the need for damaging industrial action.” The stevedore has unsuccessfully negotiated with the MUA over 70 meetings since February 2020. MUA launched over 220 industrial actions in all four …