Attempts at taking harbour jobs denied

Press, 1 June 1989, Page 9

Attempts at taking harbour jobs denied

By

PAM MORTON

Claims that watersiders were trying to take harbour workers’ jobs by launching a bid for driving work on the wharves was denied yesterday by the secretary of the Lyttelton Watersiders’ Union, Mr Warren Collins. He said the union’s only intention was to claim the work given to the union in the December ruling of the Labour Court. In that ruling, the Court found that watersiders had primary coverage in the driving of equipment owned or supplied by private stevedoring companies. The National Association of Waterfront Employers and stevedoring companies were notified by nine branches of the union that they would claim the driving d>f all mechanical equipment used in

loading and unloading vessels from today. N.A.W.E.’s chief advocate, Mr Ron Palmer, said the union had interpreted the December ruling as giving them sole rights. “We are not so sure that this is the right interpretation and are seeking a clarifying order from the Court. “The watersiders have interpreted it one way and other parties in another way,” Mr Palmer said. The matter will be dealt with in the Labour Court in Christchurch on June 8. Mr Collins said news media publicity had blown the situation out of proportion. “As far as we are concerned, we are carrying out the decision of the Labour Court now,” Mr Collins said. “It not our intention to go any

further than we have already gone.” Claims that watersiders were after harbour workers’ jobs were ludicrous, Mr Collins said. “If our employer hires or provides equipment then we will drive it. It doesn’t matter where it comes from.” Mr Collins said he was suspicious about the reasons why so much had been made of the matter. “It could be that someone is trying to influence the Labour Court decision,” he said. Since December, watersiders had driven some large forklifts belonging to the Lyttelton Port Company that had been hired out to the stevedores. Mr Collins said the letter had been sent out to claim the work that was given to the union by the Labour Court decision.

"Technically, only a few ports have been claiming the workd since December,” Mr Collins said. The secretary of the Lyttelton Harbouur Workers’ Union, Mr Paul Corliss, said last week that the move was clearly a national bid to take over the operation of cargo-handling equipment. The cargo services manager for the Lyttelton Port Company, Mr Peter Rea, said it was company policy not to "dryhire” (hire out equipment without a driver).

“The Port Company hires out equipment with a driver except where we have already agreed on certain roll-on roll-off operations.” Mr Rea said the company had hired out large forklifts to stevedoring companies without drivers for the loading andf'unloading of some ships.