Sticking point in port pay docking
More talks between Lyttelton Port Company and unions have failed to overcome an impasse, meaning strike action planned from midnight last night will run for a fortnight unless there is a last-minute agreement.
Rail and Maritime Transport Union organiser John Kerr said the sticking point was the port company’s refusal to pay full wages for 70 cargo handlers over Thursday and Friday last week.
The union had given notice of strike action for the two days but then withdrew it.
The port company said it had to divert ships, meaning there was no ship loading work on those days.
Kerr claimed a rough estimate of the cost to Lyttelton Port of paying the wages would be $33,000.
Kerr said this meant that for a relatively small sum the port company was prepared to lose much more in revenue, with a knock-on effect to freight companies, importers and exporters.
Lyttelton Port had not responded to Kerr’s claims by close of business yesterday.
Kerr said the union had put forward two options as a framework for settlement.
‘‘We’re ready to talk again at any time but there’s an excess of testosterone at the bargaining table. We’ll be holding peaceful pickets outside freight firms to give people information.’’
A Lyttelton Port spokeswoman said recent industrial disruption had cost shipping lines and Canterbury freight firms.
The company reiterated its ‘‘generous’’ offer of a 3 per cent salary increase each year for three years while asking for no changes in the conditions of work.
‘‘This means we are no longer asking them to make the roster changes, agreed to a year ago by their Maritime Union of New Zealand colleagues … Rail and Maritime Transport Union want the same salary increases as their Maritime Union colleagues while refusing to make the same roster changes,’’ Lyttelton Port said.