KEY POINTS:
Work will stop at Ports of Auckland's container terminals today from 10.59pm for 24 hours after an argument over a stop work meeting escalated into a full strike.
The port's general wharves on both the Manukau and Waitemata harbours will operate as normal, but the Bledisloe and Fergusson terminals where the big container ships call will shut.
Maritime Union of New Zealand Local 13 branch president Denis Carlisle said the strike was occurring so workers could meet to consider offers from the company.
The union had traditionally allowed exempt employees to keep the port ticking over during stop work meetings but the port had made stop work meetings more difficult to hold and more difficult to get a quorum of workers at.
There would be a short picket at Bledisloe when the strike began then upward of 300 workers were expected at a meeting at the New Lynn RSA hall from 7.30am to 4pm on Wednesday.
Mr Carlisle said the company had been taking a harder line with the union. This he personally attributed to a "right wing" board and "Scandinavian" management.
"The mood of the company has changed," he said.
Road receival and delivery at the container terminals would cease during the strike period, the port said in a note to customers on its website.
"We apologise for this inconvenience," the port said.
Operations and Port of Onehunga, also operated by Ports of Auckland, would not be affected.
Ports of Auckland made a third offer to workers last week.
On top of guaranteeing staff a 4 per cent pay rise in the first year, backdated to April 2007, and 4.5 per cent in the second year, the third offer provided benefits to engineering staff and also gave a guarantee of full-time employment for an additional 40 staff employed part-time.
"I ask the union to give all three offers that we now have in front of them full and fair consideration," managing director Jens Madsen said.
Last week mediation facilitated by the Department of Labour failed.
Ports of Auckland is 100-per cent owned by Auckland Regional Holdings, the commercial arm of Auckland Regional Council.
- NZPA
