A decade long struggle at Ports of Auckland

Rod Emmerson CRAIG HARRISON NATIONAL SECRETARY

Ports of Auckland management announced on 7 March 2012 that they would make around 300 workers at the port redundant in order to contract out and casualize their jobs.

This move followed months of negotiations, a lock out and strike actions as the Maritime Union mobilized to defend jobs and conditions. A co-ordinated campaign to undermine organized labour was underway, linking Government, port managers and bottom feeding right wing spin doctors.

The following Saturday 10 March 2012, Maritime Union members at Ports of Auckland and thousands of their supporters marched on the Auckland waterfront to the gates of the Ports.

However, management had over-reached as the Employment Court found that their attempt to sack their way to victory rather than negotiate was unlawful.

Only a few weeks later, on Thursday 5 April 2012, Maritime Union of New Zealand Local 13 members ‘took back the port’ and walked in the gates of Ports of Auckland to resume their jobs.

The contracting out agenda had ground to a halt. A major part of the employer’s agenda lay in ruins.

The battle may have been over but the war was not. The following decade would be a tough grind of attrition as port management engaged in ongoing attempts to undermine safe working practices through speed ups and so-called “productivity.”

There was the promotion of an in-house association to split the workforce. MUNZ members were disadvantaged and treated unfairly.

There were several deaths at the Ports, including two workers and one member of the public. A massive automation project was begun in 2016, that rapidly ran into ongoing technical problems and cost overruns.

Conflict started to grow between senior management and the Board, and their owners Auckland City, who repeatedly failed to rein in the empire building tendencies. There were also major debates about the future of the Ports as the level of freight increases in the northern North Island.

However one of the side effects of the COVID pandemic that arrived in 2020 was to expose the weaknesses of management strategy at POAL.

As congestion at the Ports increased, poor decision making led to worse outcomes. The company laid off valuable staff in expectation of a downturn in trade, but as we know the opposite happened and the Ports found itself severely understaffed.

Staff shortages contributed to the freight backlog and created huge problems for local industry. 2021 was a year of massive change at POAL.

Following the release of a damning report into health and safety at the port, in March 2021, workers at the Ports passed a vote of no confidence in the CEO and Board.

In May 2021, CEO Tony Gibson resigned. Mr Gibson is now awaiting trial for charges brought by Maritime New Zealand under health and safety laws.

So ended a very unhappy time at Ports of Auckland.

In the last 18 months there have been huge changes.

A new CEO has been appointed and has committed to working with the Union. There has been a clean out of the Board with new board members having a better understanding of the port industry.

Health and safety has been given clear priority. The Government has pushed forward a number of measures to improve health and safety practices at Ports.

The big news for 2022 was the announcement of the cancellation of the automation project at Ports of Auckland.

This was the right decision but it is now important a full review of the multi-million debacle uncovers how a high risk plan was allowed to proceed and continue despite numerous warning signs.

Ports of Auckland is now recovering and employing new staff to cater for the ongoing growth in trade. We can add the good news that an unprecedented turnaround in New Zealand coastal shipping has come about, driven by good Government policy and leadership from the Minister of Transport Michael Wood. More New Zealand crews will now be moving some of this new cargo on the New Zealand coast.

Most telling, MUNZ membership numbers have returned to a density and level which shows Ports of Auckland is now a Union port – a MUNZ port.

The anti-union agenda of the 2010–2021 period has now ended. It was an extremely costly exercise. The cost was both financial and human. Many good people left the Ports due to the negative atmosphere over this time. Many who remained faced ongoing stress and aggressive management tactics.

Thanks to the support of families and friends, the people of Auckland and local representatives, and workers and their unions throughout New Zealand, secure jobs and public ownership were preserved at the Ports of Auckland. We remember the key role played by the then NZ Council of Trade Unions President Helen Kelly.

A special mention must be made of the international support co-ordinated by the ITF. The presence and support of the global family of dockworkers and transport workers was a massive boost to our campaign. The list is long but includes the support of the MUA, ETU, ILWU, and affiliates throughout the world.

Thank you for your support and solidarity. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Last of all, thanks to the officials and rank and file members at Ports of Auckland who stood strong under difficult circumstances. In the end, our cause prevailed.