Deadline near for port talks settlement

Press, 25 September 1989, Page 2

Deadline near for port talks settlement

Time is running out for waterfront workers and employers to reach a settlement on the union’s national award before it expires in six days. Changes under the Waterfront Industry Reform Act come into force on October 1. From that date the Waterfront Industry Commission, which administers a port labour pool will go out of existence, leaving the way clear for individual port bargaining. Award talks broke down on Thursday, leaving new conditions of employment unsettled.

Waterfront workers at Lyttelton will meet this morning to discuss the breakdown. Workers at other ports are expected to meet later in the week.

The union’s general secretary, Mr Sam Jennings, said no further talks were planned between the two parties but the union was available for discussions.

The employers’ advocate, Mr John Button, said the two parties were in a "unique and absurd” situation where everything had been agreed but time had run out.

He said the next step was for the union to go around the individual ports negotiating port codes but it had to happen before October 1. The employers were not prepared to employ workers in a permanent workforce until they had sustainable work conditions, he said.