23 December 2011

Ports of Auckland is doing everything right

Managing Director of major road carrier Carr & Haslam Ltd Chris Carr today welcomed Port of Auckland’s decision to keep the truck gate at the port’s Fergusson container terminal open during this weekend’s strike, and is calling on the Maritime Union of NZ to start thinking about what’s really in its members’ best interests.

“Ports of Auckland is doing everything right in its negotiations with the union because it’s putting the customers of the port first. It pulled back from its second lock-out notice and put a generous offer to the union. Now it’s doing everything it can to keep the port operating when the union decides to strike yet again,” says Mr. Carr.

Ports of Auckland announced yesterday that its Fergusson container terminal would remain open in spite of the planned strike by the union, with trucks able to pick up and drop off containers between 7am and 6pm on Friday 23 December. This is a change from previous strikes, when all road services at the port have been closed.

Mr. Carr said that while Ports of Auckland is in touch with the needs of importers and exporters, the union is stuck in the past and is putting its own members’ livelihoods at risk.

“Everybody knows that things have to change at the port. It’s nowhere near as efficient as it should be, which is unforgiveable for the country’s most important import and export hub. But the union seems to have a bloody-minded commitment to the inflexible work practices that are dragging the port down, and will ultimately drag its members down with it as the port loses business.”

“The union president clearly has no knowledge of how a modern port works, and what drives commerce in the port. This is different to the Council of Trade Unions who have a real interest in understanding what makes things tick, and then representing their members accordingly.”

“I think the union needs to take a step back and ask itself what’s really in its members’ best interests – an unproductive port that runs into the ground, or a more productive one that creates more jobs and is better for the importers and exporters that are the backbone of the economy.”

ENDS

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