New strike notice issued to Ports of Auckland

The Maritime Union of New Zealand has issued a sixth strike notice to Ports of Auckland, the latest in a bitter dispute between workers and its employer that has been dragging on for months.

The union began negotiations in August with Ports of Auckland against a proposal to move staff to flexible working hours that would see them work on a changing roster and be required to be on call at times.

Today it issued its sixth strike notice that its members would not be working between 7am Tuesday 31 January and 7am 1 February, pushing Ports of Auckland to consult with new contractors to take over the union members' work.

The disruptions of strikes have already resulted in some of the port's major clients including Maersk and dairy giant Fonterra moving trade to other ports.

''This sixth strike will do nothing to end the dispute other than to strengthen our resolve to sort this out once and for all,'' Ports of Auckland chief executive Tony Gibson said.

''Our management team and Board have a duty to apply a commercial approach and to act in the best interests of Aucklanders, now and over the longer term.''  

Council of Trade Union president Helen Kelly is in Auckland this week to support the union, and said that port management acted in an ''unprincipled way'' in mediation. 

- © Fairfax NZ News