Port, union in court over lockout

Ports of Auckland and Maritime Union representatives will meet in court today after failing to reach agreement on when the union members will return to work.

The latest impasse in the costly and long-running dispute comes after the workers were locked out last week because of what were described as health and safety concerns.

That lockout came less than a day after the port company agreed to a fourweek moratorium on its plans to use contract labour while it returned to mediation with the union.

The Employment Court appearance today follows the union’s application last week for an injunction, claiming the lockout of its workers was illegal.

Maritime Union president Garry Parsloe said the company appeared to have no plan for getting the port up and running again.

‘‘Ports of Auckland continue to raise ‘ghost’ health and safety concerns in the media as the basis for what the union considers to be an unlawful breach of these workers’ employment agreements.’’

The union had attempted to resolve the dispute, but the company’s ‘‘single focus’’ to dismiss its workforce was overruling all common sense, he said.

Ports of Auckland representatives rejected a union proposal for workers to be allowed to return to work and be paid compensation for lost wages last week, he said. He would not comment further due to a confidentiality agreement with the company.

A Ports of Auckland spokeswoman said it was unrealistic for union members to return to work until all health and safety requirements were met.

The ports’ board must sign off on any plan as the health and safety of workers ultimately rests with it.