Strike deadlock at Auckland
The strikes over Auckland's need to modernise its labour force continue
Ports of Auckland (POAL) is in the middle of its latest strike - the fourth month of union action over pay and working conditions.
The latest strike started last week and is due to end this Wednesday. There is also a related week’s strike taking place involving engineering and machinery operation running until Thursday this week.
POAL has received another weeklong full strike notice due to take place from Friday 24 February to Friday 2 March. Also, The Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) has also issued publicity announcing that it has called another week long strike from Friday 2 March until Friday 9 March.
So things are looking very bleak in terms of a resolution.
Craig Sain, general manager, sales & marketing, Ports of Auckland, told Port Strategy: “There is mounting frustration over the ongoing industrial disruptions to customer vessels and cargo, having to make numerous operational contingencies that are costly to all parties and affect cargo and container flows.
We are also concerned over the time it is taking for the Maritime Union to understand the need for change and during this time our customers and POAL are suffering losses, the well being of our staff is at risk and the company’s reputation; evidenced by the fact that we have lost services to our nearest competitor port because we cannot guarantee a sustainable level of service.”
POAL maintains it is clearly focused on finding a long-term sustainable solution to lift productivity for which it says it has the support of its customers.
The problem is this means more flexible working practices and embracing sub-contractors – unfortunately this “casualisation” of labour is one of the union’s major sticking points.
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