The Auckland Ports dispute has spread overseas with Sydney workers showing their support for striking wharfies by refusing to unload a ship worked on in Auckland by non-union staff.
It follows similar action in Tauranga, Lyttelton and Wellington ports last week in support of nearly 300 workers who have been made redundant.
Maritime Union president Garry Parsloe said the decision to sack staff was having an international effect.
"The incompetence of the CEO of this board and incompetence of the board is creating an international problem now.
Not only did those ships sail around New Zealand and get held up everywhere, they're now going into the international. I mean this is the start of something very big,'' he told Newstalk ZB.
Thousands of workers and supporters rallied in Auckland yesterday in support of striking workers after Ports of Auckland last week announced it will introduce competitive stevedoring into its Fergusson and Bledisloe Container Terminal operations.
Members of the Maritime Union are halfway through a four-week strike over the port's decision to contract out work.
Auckland councillor Cathy Casey, has called for the Port board of directors at Ports of Auckland and the council agency that controls it to be sacks and for mayor Len Brown to step in as a mediator in the dispute.
