Time to kiss and make up?
by Michelle King
It’s time for everyone to kiss, make up or just shake on it.
Well, the Ports of Auckland and Maratime Union that is.
There is serious concern that the port could lose business if the port strikes continue for much longer, warns Auckland Chamber of Commerce head Michael Barnett.
Ports of Auckland filed an application with the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) for facilitated bargaining, in an effort to resolve strikes with Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) this week.
The request to the ERA for “Facilitated Collective Bargaining” comes after many months of negotiations to conclude a new Collective Employment Agreement covering approximately 265 employees at the Auckland port’s container terminals.
“We are very concerned that we have been unable to reach a settlement. We have responded to MUNZ’s claims and offered settlements that are fair and reasonable; where our colleagues will share in the upside of an even more productive business,” said Ports of Auckland Managing Director Jens Madsen.
“The bottom line is that MUNZ’s claims, which add up to a more than 10% total annual increase, are excessive and totally unaffordable,” said Mr Madsen.
Mr Barnett says the on-going strike action is taking away the certainty of the service businesses expect from the country’s main port, and doing so at the worst possible time.
“Small and medium businesses in particular are either exporting to fill vital Christmas orders or about to receive imports for distribution for the Christmas-New Year retail trades. This is a key time for Auckland business,” notes Mr Barnett.
The Christmas period is known to be the busiest time for businesses, particularly exporters, and with so much at stake businesses may be forced to use Tauranga Port which now comes with improved rail and road freight options.
“The port is Auckland’s economic lifeline; undermining the certainty of the port is the same as undermining the Auckland economy,” says Mr Barnett. But Maritime Union Auckland Waterfront Branch (Local 13) President Denis Carlisle says offers from the company had not moved enough to take back to union members.
He says some of the key issues behind the workers action are pay claims, including back pay from 30 November 2006, and a “no cost” claim that seeks to bring a small group of Planner/Supervisors and Cargo Officers to join the Collective Agreement.
“The members are united behind what they see as reasonable claims to get a share of the wealth their work generates.”
Mr Carlisle says unless negotiations get back on track there will be more stoppages at the port.