Unlawful lockout escalates Ports dispute

Ports of Auck­land work­ers are shocked to learn that the Ports have moved to lock them out of their jobs.

Ports work­ers have this morn­ing been served an offi­cial lock out notice from the Ports of Auck­land, to take effect in two weeks.  The notice is for an indef­i­nite lock­out.

But for the next two weeks, between now and then when Ports work­ers are law­ful­ly able to return to their jobs if a strike is lift­ed, the com­pa­ny will lock the Port gates and pre­vent them from return­ing – amount­ing to an unlaw­ful lock­out.

This move comes even before they have even had a chance to meet and dis­cuss devel­op­ments at their union meet­ing today at mid­day, Mar­itime Union pres­i­dent Gar­ry Parsloe said.

The work­ers will protest at Ports this after­noon, he said.

“Ports work­ers are ready to go back to work and get this Port mov­ing again for Auck­land.

“It is deeply dis­turb­ing that the company’s vision is so blurred on this dis­pute, that they now want to stop the Port func­tion­ing.”

“Gov­er­nance at the Ports of Auck­land is out of con­trol.  It’s time for the May­or and Coun­cils to step in and sack this board, and replace them with a group who are will­ing to run this impor­tant asset prop­er­ly for the ben­e­fit of Auck­land,” he said.