Auckland port stand-off deepens

Auckland port stand-off deepens

By Paul McBeth

March 2 (BusinessDesk) – Ports of Auckland management and the Maritime Union of New Zealand are still at loggerheads over putting more staff on casual contracts after two days of mediation. An extra week of strike action looming over the hub.

Both parties dug in their toes in statements released after the second day of mediation talks in a protracted industrial dispute that has cost the port contracts with Fonterra Cooperative Group and Maersk shipping line.

Ports of Auckland said the union hasn’t changed its position on its bid to introduce other stevedoring companies to the container terminal and introduce a more casualised workforce, although MUNZ countered with an offer of further mediation.

“Retaining the ability to introduce competitive stevedoring, in whatever form that might take, is critical to lifting the port’s competitiveness and productivity,” port chief executive Tony Gibson said. “The $30 million loss of business since January and ongoing disruption through strike action has increased the urgency and extent of changes needed to return the port to full performance.”

Yesterday, the union gave 14 days notice for another week of strike action to begin on March 16, which will only be lifted if a settlement can be reached. That would make four weeks of continuous action, on top of several earlier strikes and a lock-out by port management.

MUNZ president Garry Parsloe said there has been no shift in the port’s plan, and the strike action will continue until management drops plans to outsource jobs.

“Unless management pull back from their attack on their workforce, the port will effectively be crippled for an indefinite period,” Parsloe said.

(BusinessDesk)

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