OCEANIA

Auckland agreement reached

12 years ago

The Port of Auckland has expressed its delight at the signing of a new collective agreement with members of the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) following years of upheaval.

Productivity is back on track at Auckland following the signing of a new deal

MUNZ and employer, Ports of Auckland Limited (POAL), had been clashing over a new collective employment agreement for wharfies since 2011, with strike and lockout action taken. But, the dispute ended recently when union members voted unanimously to ratify a new deal.

Matt Ball, spokesperson at the port, said to Port Strategy: “We are pleased that this dispute has been resolved and look forward to working with the Maritime Union of New Zealand to deliver even better results for our owners, the people of Auckland.”

“We have made big productivity gains in the past few years and having all of our stevedores on the same shift and roster system we expect to be able to deliver even more,” he added.

The Port of Auckland provides a range of cargo-handling and logistics services at two seaports, connecting the country’s importers and exporters with more than 165 international ports in nearly 70 countries.