The Offshore Alliance – a coalition that never misses a chance to decry “sellouts,” lecture others on principle, or wave the banner of militant unionism – has just executed a spectacular backflip that should leave no doubt: when it comes to hypocrisy, they are in a class of their own.
For years, the Alliance – made up of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) – has made it their business to vilify UGL and anyone who dares engage with them. UGL was branded by the Alliance as “industrial terrorists,” an employer beyond redemption. That was their mantra, repeated ad nauseam in post after self-righteous post. They attacked other unions for merely talking to UGL. They condemned negotiations as betrayal. They insisted that any engagement with UGL was a sellout of the highest order.
Just look at the record. From one Facebook post to the next, the Offshore Alliance declared:
- “UGL are industrial terrorists.”
- “No union worth their salt would negotiate with UGL.”
- “Anyone bargaining with UGL is legitimising wage theft and corporate terrorism.”
And on and on it went. The posts are there for anyone to see:
But now? After years of scorched-earth rhetoric, the Alliance has walked into the room to bargain with UGL – the very same corporate bogeyman they told everyone else to boycott. No apology. No explanation. No accountability. Just a quiet about-face, hoping no one would notice.
This isn’t just political theatre – it’s betrayal. Betrayal of their own members who believed in the rhetoric. Betrayal of other unions who were attacked for taking pragmatic steps in difficult bargaining environments. Betrayal of the workers who were told there was only one morally acceptable position – total non-engagement.
So what changed? Did UGL suddenly stop being the villains? Or did the Offshore Alliance simply realise that moral absolutism doesn’t build agreements, secure jobs, or deliver real-world outcomes? Either way, they owe workers an answer.
The worst part is the Alliance didn’t just change tactics – they torched others for doing the very same thing. They stood on a high horse, pointed fingers, and screamed “scab unionism” at every turn. Now they’ve quietly climbed down, pulled up a seat at the same table, and expect no one to notice the stench of hypocrisy trailing behind them.
This isn’t principled unionism. It’s performative posturing. And when the mask slips, as it has now, workers are left wondering: what do the Offshore Alliance really stand for – results, or headlines?
When the Alliance spent years branding UGL as untouchable, they drew a line in the sand. This week, they stepped right over it. And in doing so, they delivered a masterclass not in union strength – but in political hypocrisy.
The workers deserve better.