CEO’s approach blocking solution in Ports of Auckland dispute

The approach of the Ports of Auck­land CEO Tony Gib­son to the cur­rent indus­tri­al dis­pute is block­ing any hopes of an early res­ol­u­tion.

Mari­time Uni­on Nation­al Pres­id­ent Garry Parsloe says the Uni­on believed pro­gress had been made on the cent­ral issues, but an “atti­tude prob­lem” by man­age­ment was get­ting in the way.

Mr Parsloe says the cred­ib­il­ity of Ports of Auck­land man­age­ment is in tat­ters after CEO Tony Gib­son asser­ted last week that the cur­rent indus­tri­al dis­pute had caused a Maersk ship­ping ser­vice being pulled from Ports of Auck­land.

“A basic exam­in­a­tion of the facts has shown this claim to be non­sense, as the New Zea­l­and media have repor­ted and com­men­ted on in some detail.”

Mr Parsloe says due to the inac­cur­ate rep­res­ent­a­tion of this situ­ation by Ports of Auck­land, ques­tions are now being asked about the wider agenda and judge­ment of Ports of Auck­land man­age­ment.

“Then Mr Gib­son keeps on going on about how much the stop­page is cost­ing. But he was the one who ordered a two day lock­out timed to cause max­im­um dis­rup­tion to his own port. You have to won­der where he is com­ing from with this kind of stuff.”

Mr Parsloe says the uni­on was focussed on medi­ation, but the CEO seemed to be expend­ing all his ener­gies try­ing to jus­ti­fy him­self in the media by attack­ing his work­force.

He says the port com­pany was insist­ing on con­stantly con­tact­ing mem­bers with error filled inform­a­tion.

“The CEO is leg­ally allowed to con­tact our mem­bers. How­ever the prac­tic­al effect has been to aggrav­ate our mem­bers who are clear they want to nego­ti­ate with man­age­ment through their elec­ted advoc­ates in the Uni­on.”

He says that Mr Gib­son had to accept that the situ­ation required nego­ti­ation, and nego­ti­ation required a rela­tion­ship.

“If you keep on blow­ing things out of the water then it’s hard to talk. We’re not sure if it is a CEO ego issue or some wider anti-uni­on ideo­logy that is the prob­lem.”

Mr Parsloe says giant steps were made at medi­ation on Fri­day.

“How­ever, we came up against a brick wall when we asked he respect our mem­bers wishes that he nego­ti­ate with their elec­ted advoc­ates, rather than both­er­ing them at home with con­stant mis­in­form­a­tion.”

“We have to ask why such a simple concept is not get­ting through. It is simply about respect­ing work­ers wishes. What is the hard part here?”

The sole res­ult of the man­age­ment’s approach has been to drive the parties fur­ther apart.

“We’re not sure who exactly Mr Gib­son thinks this is bene­fit­ing.”

Mr Parsloe says Ports of Auck­land CEO Tony Gib­son needs to start listen­ing to what his work­force is telling him, and if he did so, pro­gress would be made.

Ports of Auck­land work­ers were pick­et­ing the port this morn­ing and rais­ing aware­ness of what the real issues at the port were, and had been joined by MPs, oth­er uni­ons, com­munity rep­res­ent­at­ives and mem­bers of the pub­lic.

He says work­ers would be meet­ing at 10am to dis­cuss the way for­ward.