Twenty-six years since the controversial reorganisation of the Tauranga waterfront, the workers still get together every year to catch up and reminisce.
Every year their numbers dwindle and they are harder to track down, but John Winter is one of two men who will be hitting the phones for the next two weeks to try and track everyone down.
Mr Winter worked at the port for nearly 40 years.
"In its day it was considered a very good job ...
"It was one of the highest-paying jobs in the Bay."
"The waterfront was great because we were a big family. We used to have a picnic day and everyone took part."
But then came the restructure and the closure of the Waterfront Industry Commission.
Up to that point, all labour issues throughout New Zealand ports were dealt with by the commission and ports were run by harbour boards.
The Port Companies Act 1988 transferred the harbour boards' commercial activities to new port companies and their social and environmental responsibilities to regional councils.
The Waterfront Industry Reform Act 1989 axed the Waterfront Industry Commission and put wharfies on local payrolls.
Most were re-employed by the new port companies.
They decided a one-off get together outside of work was a great idea and 26 years later they were still doing it.
"When they did away with the Commission, we were all employed by different companies and we began to drift apart.
"We had to fight to keep picnic day. We tried to call it family day but that didn't work."
Then they watched as slowly people's jobs were replaced by machines.
The wharf workers' annual reunions started with 316 people in 1990 but had dwindled down to 56 last year.
"We've lost a lot of men. A lot have died. We're all old men now, most of us are in our 80s," Mr Winter said.
"We've invited about 250 but a lot can't come because they're incapacitated, suffering memory loss, can't get out anymore."
"I hope this year isn't the last one but it's getting more difficult to put together."
But no matter how many years went by, the conversation never changed.
"We talk about the great times. That's all we have in common so that's what we talk about."
They were like brothers getting together to catch up, he added.
Tauranga Waterfront Workers Reunion
When: Friday, October 9. 12pm
Where: Tauranga Citizens Club, Corner 13th Ave and Cameron Rd
RSVP: Call John Winter on (07) 577 0929 or Bruce Fort on (07) 575 4528