Port workers sacked via text message

A union is seeking an urgent Federal Court injunction after shipping giant Hutchison Ports Australia sacked half of its Brisbane workforce with "flippant and heartless" late night text messages.

The 41 Queensland workers are among 94 to be let go across Australia after being notified in the text messages at 11.30pm on Thursday, according to the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA).

Every senior union delegate had been sacked and the company was trying to break the MUA's influence, Queensland secretary Bob Carnegie said.

"Hutchison say they are making these workers redundant because of a downturn in business but they have actively gone out and told customers not to use them," he said.

"We believe what they are trying to do is downplay their business, try to de-unionise their workforce, and in the next 18 months they will try to completely automate their workplace without any union involvement."

The MUA has sought a Federal Court injunction against the sackings and says a small group of workers who were not made redundant were occupying the company's Brisbane terminal in protest.

Hutchison has been contacted for comment.