Nearly 300 sacked wharfies have been served a lockout notice by Ports of Auckland, just a day after learning they will be getting their jobs back, a union claims.
The Maritime Union said ports workers were served an official lockout notice from Ports of Auckland this morning, to take effect in two weeks. The notice is for an indefinite lockout.
It comes a day after Ports of Auckland reversed its decision to lay off 292 workers following an informal meeting with the Employment Court.
A minute from Judge Barrie Travis said the company had agreed not to take any further steps to make union workers redundant and would halt its contracting out processes.
Maritime Union president Garry Parsloe said workers would protest the "unlawful'' lockout motion this afternoon.
"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.
Port chairman Richard Pearson this morning said the company would return to mediation with the union in good faith.
The company had agreed to halt contracting out for four weeks, he said, but it was in no way stepping away from its position on contracting out, he said.
Ports of Auckland chairman Richard Pearson said that in the port's view, the existing right to contract out must remain.
"This existing right will be fundamental to the upcoming mediation.''
"We have today written to the Mediation Service to seek an urgent start to mediation discussions.
The company said that in the meantime, the port would continue to operate as it has been throughout the strikes. The company's stevedores were continuing to service vessels arriving at the container terminals.
