proposed relocation of quay crane drivers from crane cabin to remote desk in nearby building
Quick Take
1Appendix 4 of the enterprise agreement, headed 'Automation', on its proper construction applies only to significant changes involving automation, not to any form of significant change to the mode of operation — the heading, the sole use of 'automation' in cl 1(e) dealing with redundancies, the intensive process contemplated, the negotiation history, and the complementary operation of cl 45 all supported this confined reading.
2Relocating crane drivers from a physical cabin to a remote desk with replicated joystick controls and enhanced driver assist features (anti-sway, LiDAR, soft-landing, OCR) does not constitute 'automation' where the operator retains continuous manual control via joysticks, exercises skill and judgement, and the crane stops without operator input — on the evidence, the driver assist systems support rather than replace human control.
3The phrase 'mode of operation' in the enterprise agreement is not limited to land-side yard equipment classifications used internally by the employer but bears its ordinary meaning of 'manner of operating a terminal', encompassing quay crane operations.
