UPDATE 11/08: Overnight, the Fair Work Commission deemed that the Maritime Union of Australia was behind the industrial campaign, and ordered it to cease.

Workers voted to defy the commission's order this morning, saying protests would continue.

ORIGINAL 10/08: Picket lines outside the Port Botany and Port Brisbane terminals of Hutchison Ports have turned into a show of union solidarity, as workers protest the sudden sacking of 97 employees - 57 in Sydney and 40 in Brisbane - via email.

“Solidarity is the strongest force in the union movement. We will fight this till we win”, Sydney Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) branch secretary Paul McAleer said at the assembly.

“Right now, on every building site in NSW, your dispute is being conveyed to the workers. You have our complete support in this important struggle,” a CFMEU delegate added.

The workers say that at midnight on the night they were sacked they got a text message telling them to check their emails, which revealed that they had been made redundant.

Hutchison Ports’ message said there would be no redeployment opportunities, and that the workers could not even collect their belongings, which would be couriered to them.

The company pointed to the downsizing of its Australian contracts as the reason for the sackings.

Other Hutchison workers walked out in a show of solidarity, before the picket line was joined by MUA members from other companies and members of other unions.

The gatherings at the Hutchison Ports terminal gates have stopped ships from being loaded and container trucks from entering or leaving.

At a rally before last week’s sackings, MUA assistant national secretary Warren Smith said Hutchison was actively working against worker’s rights. .

“This is a manipulation and a rort by Hutchison that we will fight to the end,” he said.

“Manipulating contracts and colluding with other port operators to manufacture redundancies is just not acceptable. This is a plot to remove union delegates and activists and bring in a disposable, casual, pliable workforce when the contracts mysteriously reappear.

“Hutchison ought to know that the MUA is not naive and we are gearing up to fight for the long haul.”

Hutchison has deemed the action unlawful and lodged a dispute in the Industrial Court.

Meanwhile, the unions are coming together.

MUA members from other wharves have shown up to lend their support, as did a contingent of Brisbane plumbers on smoko from a nearby construction site, and representatives of the CFMEU and ETU.

The ETU’s picket van is on site, providing breakfast and lunch and dinner to the assembly.

Staff say they will stay in place 24/7 until the company changes its deal.

Ongoing updates are available at the MUA’s website.