The Star: March 22, 2018

The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday March 22 2018 5
Local
News
Now
Fire rages, homes at risk
Striking workers target port company directors
•From page 1
“He’s overseas . . . he earns
$18,000 a week and he’s not in the
country when his workers go on
strike,” said Mr Kerr.
“The directors need to ask
themselves what value for money
they’re getting for the $18,000
they pay Peter Davie.”
Before the leaflet drop about
half of the 200 striking port
workers met in a packed St Mary’s
Anglican
Church in
Heathcote
Valley to
formalise their
action.
The RMTU
workers are
striking over
John Kerr
LPC’s three
per cent pay
increase offer.
The strike began at midnight
on Tuesday and will run until
Sunday.
The Star was not allowed into
yesterday’s meeting. But Mr Kerr
could be heard saying: “We’re not
going to cock this up, we’re going
to win.”
Mr Kerr told The Star before
the meeting the strike was
the union’s last resort to have
its voices heard for working
MESSAGE: Striking workers undertaking a letter box drop in the suburbs where port company directors live. (Right) – Logs being
loaded onto a ship as work at the port continues.
PHOTOS: MARTIN HUNTER
conditions to be improved.
“We don’t go on strike at the
drop of a hat. We’ve been pushed
into it, this is the first time in 14
years,” he said.
He said many union members
were suffering, but most were
prepared for “the long haul”
if negotiations were not
successful.
“We’re ready to meet . . . it
wouldn’t take much. But now
I’m worried they’ve alienated
these guys so much, the
relationship is so damaged
that it could have an impact on
productivity for months.”
Mr Kerr said other events were
planned including rallies and a
concert in Lyttelton featuring The
Eastern.
LPC operations manager Paul
Monk said RMTU is asking for
an “unfair” advantage over the
other major port union, Maritime
Union of New Zealand. Members
of MUNZ accepted a four per
cent pay increase but also changes
in roster.
Mr Monk said LPC has made
a “generous” offer to the “wellpaid”
RMTU workforce.
“We want to stop the enormous
disruption the RMTU strikes will
have on shipping lines, importers
and exporters.”
He said the offer of a three per
cent pay raise and no changes
to the roster is only one per cent
less than their MUNZ colleagues
received.
The port company had
scheduled 10 ships to come this
week, but most were re-routed
due to the strike.
•Nurses from the New Zealand
Nurses Organisation joined
the striking port workers at the
meeting in Heathcote Valley.
NZNO industrial services
manager Cee Payne said they
were there to show solidarity for
other union workers.
“There’s no strike action for
us on the cards at this stage,” she
said.
However, nurses are in
negotiations with district health
boards around pay increases
and working conditions. Voting
on whether to accept a revised
collective agreement between
nurses and DHBs closes
tomorrow.
Have you checked your
underfloor repairs?
This is the sort of ‘repair’
we are finding.
We will go under your house and give you
peace of mind for free.
NO WIN
NO FEE
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