Maritime Union welcomes Auckland Mayor's comments on port dispute

Maritime Union of New Zealand media release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday 6 March 2012

The Maritime Union has welcomed comments in the media from the Mayor of Auckland Len Brown supporting a collective employment agreement at the Ports of Auckland.

Maritime Union National President Garry Parsloe says the public comments of Auckland Mayor Len Brown show the contracting out plan by Ports of Auckland management was dead in the water.

"We are very pleased to see the Mayor has taken onboard the seriousness of the situation and is backing a negotiated collective agreement between management and workers."

Mr Parsloe says as soon as the contracting out plan by the port management is dropped, work could resume very quickly at the port.

He says the situation for management at the port is now untenable.

"They have lost the respect of their workforce, the business of their customers, the support of the people of Auckland, and now they have lost the backing of their owners, Auckland City."

"There is nowhere for them to go and the best thing for them to do is to try to stop any more damage being done, drop the contracting out and pick up the phone to us."

Mr Parsloe says it is now obvious that the push to get a 12% return from the port by the Council had been due to bad advice.

ENDS

Media note: The Mayor's comments were broadcast on Radio Waatea this morning on Dale Husband's breakfast show.

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