Ports of Auckland workers plan to meet during strike

Maritime Union of New Zealand media release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday 16 January 2012

The Maritime Union has issued a strike notice at the Ports of Auckland, for a 24 hour strike starting 7am Tuesday 31 January to 7am Wednesday 1 February.

Maritime Union National President Garry Parsloe says the strike notice has been put in so workers can get together at a meeting at the end of the month to discuss POAL management plans to outsource their jobs.

Mr Parsloe says the Union would consider canceling the strike notice if management provided an opportunity for all union members to meet at the same time, but up to now the company had refused to do this.

He says it is irresponsible for management to threaten workers with the loss of their jobs and livelihoods of their families while refusing to negotiate.

"We have offered to work with management on productivity and flexibility measures but there seems to be some other agenda coming from management."

"The CEO seems to have no empathy or understanding of the disruption and the worry he is causing his employees by his actions. Reasonable people will understand how his actions are causing this dispute to worsen by the day."

Mr Parsloe says if the Ports of Auckland CEO was genuinely concerned about disruption from occasional strikes, then he must immediately demonstrate his sincerity by abandoning his plan to outsource the jobs of port workers, which would result in months of ongoing disruption and harm for the Auckland economy.

"This is of course totally unnecessary when the Union is happy to meet and continue to find a negotiated solution, but we will not be dictated to and bullied into surrendering the rights of our members."

ENDS

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