The Maritime Union says it is not credible, or morally acceptable, for Ports of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson to remain in his job.

Mr Gibson admitted in a press conference this week he did not know what had been going on at the port around health and safety issues.

Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison says it is not right the CEO was being entrusted by the Board to deal with problems he had failed over many years to resolve.

He says workers at the port did not accept Mr Gibson did not know what had been happening at the Ports of Auckland during his tenure.

“Following the death of swimmer Leslie Gelberger in 2017, we were told the CEO was going to sort out the problems. Following the death of LaBoom Dyer in 2018, we were told the CEO was going to sort out the problems. Following the death of Palaamo Kalati in 2020, we were told the CEO was going to sort out the problems. Now, following a report that condemns systemic health and safety failings at the Ports of Auckland, we are told the CEO is the person to fix the problems he didn’t fix before.”

“It is rubbish and no other employee in New Zealand would receive this special treatment.”

Workers at POAL and relatives of the victims wanted Mr Gibson to go and had publicly said so.

Mr Harrison says the Maritime Union has requested a stopwork meeting for all members at the Ports to attend to discuss the findings of the report.

The Chair of the Ports of Auckland Board of Directors would be invited to attend as well as the new health and safety expert on the Board, Hazel Armstrong.

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