Port action

NZ Herald:

Striking workers have reacted with disgust at the Ports of Auckland's announcement that almost 300 workers will be made redundant and will contract out the work.

However, this was not the end of industrial action, they say.

"We're absolutely gutted. We believe 292 are going to be made redundant,'' said union Local 13 executive James Kirkham, speaking from the picket line at the port this morning.

The decision would have a flow-on effect for dairy owners and other businesses that use the ports, as well as "Auckland city as a whole'', he said.
[...]
"At the moment you can look out onto a wharf that's got no ships in it. God knows what they're losing a week.''

He said workers had no choice but to strike after attempts to negotiate for a collective agreement failed.

Tony Gibson, the Ports CEO, has mishandled this and should pay the price. He wanted to sack the wharfies en mass and contract it all out. He should be the one getting the boot. He knew the reaction to this extraordinary (and retrograde) move would be to tempt industrial armageddon - and now him and the usual white guys that compose top management that have cost millions in disruption and lost business in order to screw over their workers are going to risk an all-out war. Crazy.

Ports of Auckland Chairman Richard Pearson said the company's priority was to win back lost business.

"This decision will reassure the wider market and customers that we plan to achieve a sustainable lift in the port's competitiveness as soon as possible.

"We have our sights set high. Our ultimate goal is to become not just New Zealand's most efficient and productive container port, but a leader in the Asia Pacific region."

And they set their sights as low as possible for the other stakeholders in the equation - the people that actually do the work on the wharves.
Well if efficiency and productivity is having no ships and no staff to unload them then they are doing really well!

And through all this drama, Len Brown - the Lefty Mayor of the 100% shareholder of the Port, Auckland Council - is sitting on the fence on this issue. It's a Lefty-controlled Council isn't it? What's the point? He looks so weak, his chips are not just down they are lost.