Lyttelton seeks court ruling on ports row

Press, 12 October 1988, Page 9

Lyttelton seeks court ruling on ports row

The Lyttelton Port Company is seeking a court ruling on the union demarcation dispute that is paralysing shipping movements throughout New Zealand.

The company’s general manager, Mr lan Brokenshire, said papers had been lodged with the Labour Court. It was not known when the case would be heard.

The Waterfront Employers’ Association has also applied to the Court, which yesterday ordered the Harbour Workers’ Union to lift a picket in Auckland.

This interim order will remain in force until the substantive case is heard.

Lyttelton members of the union will decide today whether to continue their industrial action.

The court ruling af-

fected only the Auckland action, said the union’s Lyttelton secretary, Mr Paul Corliss. Nevertheless his branch would await guidance from its national office before making its decision today.

The Court issued interim compliance orders directing the union to withdraw its picket at Queens Wharf, Auckland. The picket, preventing watersiders unloading the Toyo Fuji 2, began on October 1. The ship’s agents are claiming $60,000 damages a day.

The union’s national secretary, Mr Ross Wilson, said the Court order

would be obeyed in full, even though the union did not like the decision and considered it wrong in law.

Mr Wilson said the Court had taken the “extraordinary” step of issuing orders without giving any reasons. It appeared the Judge had substantially based his decision on evidence from the president of the Watersiders’ Union that some unspecified person had threatened watersiders if they crossed the picket line. The picket centres on a demarcation dispute between harbour workers and watersiders. Port reform legislation now allows watersiders to do work once reserved for harbour workers. Mr Wilson said the allegation of picket line

threats was “absolute nonsense, but it assisted the Court to make the decision it did.” He has recommended that harbour workers on the picket line wear mouth gags when watersiders are present — “so that it can’t be claimed we are inciting watersiders not to cross a picket line.” Meanwhile, his members would not prevent watersiders from completing unloading of the Toyo Fuji No. 2. The ship, centre of the Auckland picket, is due to sail today. Watersiders began unloading her yesterday after the Court ruling was issued.