Ports idle as 5000 workers strike

Press, 17 June 1983, Page 1

Ports idle as 5000 workers strike

PA Wellington Ports were idle throughout New Zealand yesterday as waterside workers began a 48-hour strike in protest against the wage and price freeze. The strike is expected to cost $750,000 in shipping delays. About 5000 watersiders are involved.

One ship arrived at Lyttelton yesterday, and another left, in spite of the stoppage. The Lyttelton-Wellington freight ferry Spirit of Free Enterprise was able to berth yesterday morning because of a dispensation granted by watersiders. However, the strike means that she will miss two voyages and will now not sail north again until Sunday. The Tangaroa, a D.S.I.R. research vessel, was not affected and was able to sail from Lyttelton for Wellington yesterday. Other ships which have had to delay their departures from port are the Tendai Maru and the Nedlloyd Fremantle. The Ragni Berg, carrying bananas from Ecuador, has had to delay her arrival at Lyttelton. The stoppage, the first nationally by watersiders in nine years, tied up about 60 ships, a third of them at Auckland. Napier was the next port most affected, with nine ships, then TauHanga with eight, Lyttelton with six, Bluff with five and New Plymouth with four. Two have been caught by the strike at Wellington, and Onehunga, with one each at Whangarei, Gisborne, Nelson, Timaru, and Port Chalmers. The New Zealand Waterfront Employers’ Association’s advocate, Mr Ron Palmer, said the association was concerned about not being told officially by the Watersider Workers’ Federation of the decision to strike. “We have not been informed of the reasons for the strike, and all we know is what we have learned from newspaper and radio reports,” Mr Palmer said.

He confirmed that redundancy, which was one of the reasons listed by watersiders for the strike, was being discussed. The discussions involved 270 men at nine ports.

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