Port of Tauranga staff are having to work three additional ships this weekend, diverted from the strike and lockout-bound Ports of Auckland.

The Cap Mondego arrives from Napier today, the Maersk Juan also expected in Tauranga today on its normal schedule, will discharge its Auckland cargo in addition to normal Tauranga operations. The ANL Burilla is expected from Brisbane Sunday.

Port of Tauranga.

The Auckland container terminal is closed four days this weekend as maritime unions take strike action today and Monday. The port is locking the men out over the weekend.

Stevedores at Ports of Auckland still are paid weekend penal rates.

They can strike Friday and Monday and make up the loss with weekend overtime – while the port is disadvantaged at a busy time.

Ports of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson announced the port's first lockout since 1951 last week, saying it was because the Maritime Union of NZ would not withdraw its strike notice.

More than 300 Maritime Union of New Zealand workers threatened to strike at the downtown Auckland container terminals for two days from 10.30pm last night and Sunday.

The Bledisloe and Fergusson terminals are closed from 10.30pm on Thursday, December 1 through to 10.30pm on Monday, December 5.
In a two page notice published in the Shipping Gazette, Ports of Auckland says its offer to the 300 union staff, includes rolling over the existing contract with no changes to terms or conditions, a 2.5 per cent pay increase and a $200 signing bonus in lieu of back pay.

The average wage for a full time POAL stevedore for the year ended June 30 2011, was $91,480. The average part timer's wage was $65,518.

More than half the stevedores, 53 percent, earned more than $80,000. Forty three of them, 28 percent, earned more than $100,000, with the highest paid stevedore earning $122,000.

The employees and their families are provided Southern Cross medical insurance, up to 15 days sick leave each year accruing to 45 days over three years, and two months fully paid in-house training to become a lasher and straddle driver, and further paid training to become a crane driver. They can qualify without the requirement for a student loan.

The union objects to Ports of Auckland negotiating flexible pay packages for seven non-union stevedores, saying hourly rates are higher than on the collective.

The port admits some rates are higher, reflecting greater flexibility in working hours and the lack of other benefits in the collective agreement. The overall employment cost to the company is similar.

The union also objects to Ports of Auckland using a third party CONLINXX to operate a container shuttle service in the port.

The port underwent a consultation process before introducing the contract in 2010, says Tony. Four union member's jobs were displaced. All were offered redeployment; one accepted and three took voluntary redundancy.

'The real nub of this dispute is the four staff made redundant before Tony's term as CEO,” says Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns.

Tony Gibson has a historical relationship with the Port of Tauranga, being previously country manager for Maersk, and New Zealand manager for P&O Nedlloyd.