Global union slams Auckland port bosses

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Maritime Union workers and their supporters protest outside Ports of Auckland on Friday morning.

Maritime Union workers and their supporters protest outside Ports of Auckland on Friday morning.

Port workers and supporters at the picket line.

Port workers and supporters at the picket line.

Port workers and supporters at the picket line.

Port workers and supporters at the picket line.

University of Auckland students rally to support striking Ports of Auckland workers.

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A global union has slammed Ports of Auckland bosses and called on the Auckland Council to step in after striking workers were issued with a lockout notice.

The International Transport Workers' Federation, based in London, said the decision was "unbelievable, unlawful and practically suicidal".

The port company agreed to a four-week moratorium on its plans to sack the 292 workers and hire contract labour. As a result the watersiders voted on Wednesday to end their strike action.

However, the port responded by giving two weeks' notice of an indefinite lockout starting at Easter. It has left the wharfies in limbo for the intervening fortnight. They say they are ready to go back to work, but the port has said this is "unrealistic" due to rostering issues.

Yesterday the union filed an injunction declaring the lockout unlawful.

"It's like watching a car crash in slow motion. Do Richard Pearson and Tony Gibson have a death wish for this port? Just when a negotiated settlement was within reach they have trampled on those hopes and issued a lockout notice," said Paddy Cremlin, the federation's president.

"The thugs in this dispute are in the boardroom at POAL slinging out workers, locking out workers, trying to bring in strikebreakers from outside New Zealand to replace a willing and skilled workforce. Gibson and Person beggar belief. It's likely they want to turn this port into a disaster area."

Cremlin also called on Mayor Len Brown to "step in and replace those in the POAL board" with people who are instead "willing to run this important asset properly for the benefit of the city of Auckland".

- ? Fairfax NZ News

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Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/6631781/Global-union-slams-Auckland-port-bosses

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