LPC pleased Union agrees to extending withdrawal of strike notices to Tuesday 20 March

LPC is pleased that the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) has this afternoon agreed to the Company’s request to extend the withdrawal of strike notices through to Tuesday 20 March.

This means strike notices have been withdrawn from midnight tonight through to Tuesday 20 March inclusive.

LPC Operations Manager Paul Monk says the withdrawal of the strike notices for the next six days will allow meaningful trade to begin to return to the Port.

“With this level of strike withdrawal notification, the shipping lines, exporters and importers will be able to reorganise their schedules to some extent, allowing at least a minimum amount of shipping to return to the Port.

“We have had overwhelming customer feedback that the Union’s previous withdrawal of strike notices came too late for most of them to divert shipping back to Lyttelton.

“As a demonstration of good will and our commitment to resolving the dispute, LPC will pay the RMTU members who will be rostered to work on the days strike notices have been withdrawn (from 15 - 20 March). This is in spite of there being little work for them the next two days as there may be no ships in Port to service.

“While we realise uncertainty still remains beyond 20 March, with strike notices still in place for 21 to 25 March, what has happened today is a positive development.

“We look forward to entering mediation tomorrow encouraged by the significant steps taken today.”

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