Court grants $720,000 compo in union case

A Perth couple who were denied work because they were not union members have been awarded more than $720,000 compensation.

The Maritime Union of Australia was fined $79,200 in the Federal Court and was ordered to pay $723,300 in compensation to the married couple.

Skilled Offshore was ordered to pay the MUA one-third of the compensation for its role in denying the couple employment.

The court found that Skilled Offshore (Australia), previously known as Offshore Marine Services, had made MUA membership a prerequisite for employment and told the couple they had to obtain membership before they could be employed as stewards.

The MUA then refused the couple's applications for membership, which ensured the jobs went to existing MUA members.

The Fair Work Ombudsman started legal action in June 2011.

In May 2012, OMS was fined $7500 after admitting its contraventions, but the MUA defended the allegations.

Justice John Gilmour found that the MUA's conduct involved "blatant use of illegitimate industrial action power to bully OMS" into refusing to employ the couple.

He said OMS succumbed to union threats of industrial action even though it wanted to employ the couple.