Union condemns ads for Aussie stevedores

Photo / Dean Purcell

The Ports of Auckland is advertising for Australian stevedores while still claiming to be working towards a settlement with its striking workforce, the Maritime Union says.

Union president Garry Parsloe said port management had put ads on behalf of potential contractors on Australian websites for a "casualised and contracted-out" workforce to replace his members.

But a port spokeswoman said no decision had been made to contract out, although "both options are on the table".

"Any prudent business would test the market to see whether the options are available. We remain in a position of consultation with the union, our staff and prospective contractors."

She said the advertisement was already on Trade Me and would appear in other New Zealand media, and if a decision was made to contract out, existing staff could reapply for jobs.

Mr Parsloe is currently in Australia attending two union conferences, and will be addressing leaders of the International Transport Federation this morning before returning to Auckland.

Before Mr Parsloe left he told the Herald shipping companies which docked at the port's Fergusson container terminal "won't be welcome anywhere else in the world".

He cited a case about 12 years ago when a ship loaded by non-union labour was turned back to Melbourne by unionists in Los Angeles.

Port company chief executive Tony Gibson responded by saying the union was "inciting international third parties to act against the interests of Auckland".

Yesterday, Mr Parsloe said the website ads demonstrated Mr Gibson's "staggering hypocrisy".

"We can't talk to Australians, but he can hire them to replace his own workers ... why would we be in there negotiating for a collective employment agreement, while our jobs are being advertised all over Australia?"

Mr Parsloe called on Auckland Council, which owns 100 per cent of the port, to dismiss the port's senior management.

"This is a rogue management with its own agenda and the council must step in to protect the interests of Auckland."