Legal threat overrides Fiji ship-loading ban

By KATHERINE HOBY

Shipping companies threatening a $1.5 million damages suit have forced workers to load freight on a Fiji-bound ship, despite a union-imposed ban.

The Council of Trade Unions had imposed the loading ban but yesterday Pacific Forum Line (NZ) Ltd and BHP Transport went to the Employment Court in Wellington, threatening to lodge the lawsuit unless unions loaded one Fiji-bound ship.

Pacific Forum Line solicitor Andrew Caisley said the company ship that plied New Zealand and Pacific ports was due to load in Lyttelton, Napier and Auckland.

"It is about $1.5 million worth of cargo, mostly perishable. This is not because we don't care about the people of Fiji. Leaving this food to spoil is not going to help," he said.

"The last thing they need is disruption to their economy on top of everything else."

Mr Caisley said the union agreed to allow members to load the ship in the three ports so the damages case did not go ahead.

National Distribution Union president Bill Andersen said workers had loaded the ship but had then staged one-hour protests against the threatened lawsuit, which he called "crass and aggressive."

"The revulsion against George Speight and all he stands for should be reason enough not to start sending goods to Fiji."

Meanwhile, workers at the Ports of Auckland have filed notice with management that they will take strike action.

Waterfront Workers Union Auckland president Denis Carlisle said the strike would be a total withdrawal of labour for 48 hours on July 10.

Notice has been given for 286 employees, who perform all Ports of Auckland stevedoring and cargo work.

George Speight talks to IRN's Barry Soper

(10 min).