Union Offers Ports of Auckland Settlement

Union Offers Ports of Auckland Settlement

Maritime Union of New Zealand media release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday 22 February 2012

The Maritime Union has reiterated its offer to the Ports of Auckland as a basis to settle the industrial dispute.

Maritime Union National President Garry Parsloe says the union has written to the port management and set out a framework to resolve all outstanding issues.

Mr. Parsloe says that the offer is in three parts:

• A more flexible set of terms and conditions in the Collective Employment Agreement.
• Cooperation on ongoing productivity enhancements.
• A process to improve management-union relationships and cooperation.

The offer the union is making on more flexible conditions is:

• Change current overtime provisions to significantly reduce costs of shifts continuing to work beyond their 8 hours
• Provision of 12 hour shifts for some workers to reduce the need for so much overtime
• Increasing the number of workers available for night shifts by removing the 1,2 roster
• Speed up of changeover times for drivers to be discussed
• Increased numbers of part time (P24) workers

Mr Parsloe says the Union has signaled that there are several other unresolved matters that it would need to agree with port management but have confirmed that the pay increase the union is seeking is for 2.5 percent for a 12 month term.

The offer the union is making on productivity is for the productivity process (known as TRACC) which was implemented successfully in the engineering part of the port to be rolled out across the business.

The union has also offered to participate in a process to improve management-union relations including better communication, developing better understanding, conduct, and working cooperatively on positive outcomes that involve all the staff.

Mr Parsloe says it is completely unacceptable to the union for the Ports of Auckland to dismiss the workers and contract out their work.

He says that the union’s goal is to reach a settlement in a collective employment agreement and address ongoing productivity processes and working relationships.

ENDS

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