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Port Strikes – The Dinosaurs still breathe

by Whaleoil on December 16, 2011

The Maritime Union issued another strike notice.

Ports of Auckland says it has received notice of a fourth and more disruptive strike by wharfies.

Ports chief executive Tony Gibson said the latest 48-hour strike was set down for December 30 to January 1, the same time as KiwiRail was shutting down its rail network for electrification works.

This promised even greater disruption for consumers, importers and exporters than the Maritime Union’s previous two strikes, he said. Notice of its third strike from December 22 to 25 is still on the table.

Looks like Santa isn’t coming for a lot of kiddies. The strike action for the 3 days before Christmas will hold up a whole lot of Christmas merchandise.

Still it just goes to show that Dinosaurs are not extinct, and we all know where Jurassic Park was filmed.

The Maritime Union left Mediation yesterday afternoon after receiving the 9th offer put to them since September, and placed another Strike Notice on the table as they left.

“They did what?” I hear you say.

The talks had not broken down, and in fact both parties considered that they had been positive.

What I am positive about now is that the Executive of the Union either have no idea of the damage that they are causing, or they do and they don’t give a damn.

If it is the first case then they are unbelievably stupid, and if it is the second, then they are unbelievably stupid.

How they cannot see the damage that they are causing to themselves through causing damage to Auckland’s port is beyond my comprehension.

This is a bit like the death of a thousand cuts, but self inflicted.

Their actions have already cost contracts for the Port, it is inconceivable that the previous offers can now be sustained with the loss of business. Union jobs and contract provisions and terms are going to be lost as a result of this action, hardly a win for members.

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  • Michael

    watching the news last night I saw a protester with a sign that said something and then $13 basically saying that he was on $13 an hour.
    What a pack of bullshit, these guys take home far more than the average pay.
    Why can’t the stupid media pick up on utter crap like this and question it?

  • Tjspooner

    Yes, the Union is back to its old tricks and the best indicator of  future behaviour is relevant past behaviour. BUt this nonsense about holding up sock for retailers for Xmas is a crock. No retailer wants loads of new stock 3 days before Xmas. They want to be sold out by Xmas because they know Kiwis have no money left for a couple months after Xmas. The last thing they want is new arrivals of stock. So let’s get real, the damage is about reputation and is ongoing for POA, it has nothing to do with teary eayed kids not getting their pressies. I see the current actions as the start of a campaign and nothing will satisfy the Union because they do not want to be satisfied.. As for their idiot members,  one glance at the TV coverage outside the gates will show they are paid probably 3 times what they are worth

    • Observation

      Boxing Day is the biggest retailing day of the year and if retailers can’t get stock  they will loose out big time.

      You are right that its not about Christmas, but a lot of retailers will need to restock for their Boxing Day sales. Now these scumbags have put their profits in jeopardy.

    • nzspambot

      They might want to be stocked for Boxing Day which is a pretty big shopping day. People need their new flat screens and latte makers

  • Troy

    I just wonder how Shearer would deal with this.  Does he have the courage to get up there and advise the Unions to pay some thought to the wider public that innocently have to suffer for their dogged attitude?  Maybe he will call Helen and Heather in NY to seek advice.

  • Kane Bunce

    And they wonder why the boss of the PoA has sent “threatening” letters to them saying the Port is reviewing using contractors? Well, maybe it is because they cannot afford these constant delays and if they keep loosing money like this they cannot even afford their current offers for much longer let alone better offers.

    “They want to be sold out by Xmas because they know Kiwis have no money left for a couple months after Xmas.” Not actually true as they want stock for the rush last minute shopping many people do on the last few days of Christmas shopping and they want stock for the Boxing Day and New Year specials, which tend to be very popular with shoppers.

    “watching the news last night I saw a protester with a sign that said something and then $13 basically saying that he was on $13 an hour.” Yeah, I comment
    What a pack of bullshit, these guys take home far more than the average pay.” Yeah, I commented on my blog how many hours it would take to earn that much money at minimum wage. Well, the new 10% pay rise offer anyway. But it’d be similar with their current pay.

  • http://twitter.com/ChiefsFan73 Rhys Wilson

    Here’s what I don’t get.  Its a few weeks before xmas, when most people would rather bathe in a tub of sulphuric acid than for go income.  Here we have port workers doing just that.  Now to be in a position to strike at this time of year suggests you are on better than the average wage I would have thought.  I can’t imagine hotel cleaners for example going on strike at this time of year.  Its only ever those who are already on a good wicket, looking for more money for less work that can afford this kind of action.  Think Interislander workers for example.
    Perhaps they should go try working a full 40 hour week for less than half their current wage and see how keen they are on industrial action at xmas.

  • Macca

    The problem with these people is they are paid so much money,  they actually start to believe they are worth it!!!!! 
    I was just talking to a mate about it who was telling me of a friend of his who used to work on the wharf with his father.  they would take turns going in to clock in and out for each other before they spent the rest of the day building houses!
    Another example was a guy who had worked there for 25 years.  When they went to throw a bit of a party for him for his long service, nobody knew who he was.  This guy would go in every day only to clock in and out!
    Solution – offer them the same rate they are on now and if they are not back at work by Monday morning – lock them out!   Bring the army in as temps until full time workers can be trained – including using the part time workers or other workers who had still been working.  Put a stop to this sort of union blackmailing once and for all!  Unions do have a place – but not with these sort of actions – not in todays society and especially not in todays economic climate when times are so hard.

  • Anonymous

    John Key could get a 10% boost in his approval ratings by sacking the lot of these cunts. 

  • Karl Laird

    Given POA just lost 10% of its revenue it should really give the Union a notice that 10% of its members just lost their jobs – and it’s up to the union to decide who and deliver the news…