Ports of Auckland wharfies flag 7-day strike

Ports of Auckland wharfies flag 7-day strike

By Hannah Lynch

Feb. 9 (BusinessDesk) – The Maritime Union of New Zealand has issued Ports of Auckland with a new seven-day full strike notice.

The industrial action will start at 7am on Feb. 24, and is on top of a partial notice already in place from 7am on Feb. 15 until 7am on Feb. 22. The partial strike will see wharfies refuse to work on containers moved by the port subsidiary Conlinxx. President Garry Parsloe says the week-long strike is in response to industrial action set to threaten workers livelihoods.

“These industrial actions are intended to focus the attention of management on the real issues, and the importance of secure jobs to our members,” Parsloe said in a statement.

If progress is made and management return to negotiations then industrial action may be reconsidered, he said.

This is the union’s seventh strike against the Ports of Auckland by the 300 unionised workers amid a protracted dispute over management’s desire to cut costs by increasing use of casual labour.

The dispute has cost the port contracts with shipping line Maersk and dairy exporter Fonterra Cooperative Group, who have shifted to Port of Tauranga and Port of Napier.

(BusinessDesk)

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