Union welcomes Mayor’s intervention in Port dispute

Maritime Union welcomes Mayor’s intervention in Port of Auckland dispute

Maritime Union of New Zealand media release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday 29 November 2012

In a response to a letter received today from the Mayor of Auckland Len Brown on the Ports of Auckland dispute, the Maritime Union says it is committed to continuing to make every effort to settle a collective agreement with POAL.

The Mayor has stated to the Maritime Union and to POAL that he holds a strong expectation that recommendations from the facilitation process are used as a vehicle for ending the dispute.

Maritime Union National President Garry Parsloe says the Union can assure the Mayor it will consider and respond in a positive way to the recommendations of the Facilitator due to be released in the next week.

“We have worked hard and bargained in good faith before and during Facilitation to settle a fair and balanced collective agreement that provides greater flexibility on the Port while providing our members with security of employment, time off with family, predictability and a safe roster.”

Mr Parsloe says the goal for the Union is to reach such a settlement to this long standing dispute and avert the possibility of industrial action.

He says over the last two days the Maritime Union have been briefing the International Transport Federation (in NZ and globally) and the Council of Trade Unions on the current status of the dispute and the need to finally resolve a dispute which has had huge costs to our members, to businesses and to the community.

It is clear this dispute can be resolved if there is a willingness of POAL to do so, says Mr Parsloe.

“To date there has been little willingness to address fundamental issues like certainty re start times and time off, which are vitally important to a safe working environment and the ability to have time with family, and committing to not contracting out our work as they tried to do earlier this year.”

“Our members are part of this community and they have the right to be employed on a fair and balanced collective agreement and we welcome the Mayor’s strong statement about the urgent need for a collective agreement to be settled between MUNZ and POAL.”

ENDS

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