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New Zealand's largest port faces a full lock-down from tomorrow morning as about 250 Auckland waterside workers vow to strike for 48 hours.
Movements of goods worth more than $100 million are likely to be disrupted just as the dairy export season is getting into swing and shops are starting to replenish their shelves for Christmas.
The threatened strike has prompted one shipping company to divert a container vessel to Tauranga, and others have been making extra speed to reach Auckland in hope of a fast turnaround before 7am tomorrow.
Those unable to make it in time will wait out at sea for the strike to end on Thursday morning.
Although last-minute talks have been arranged for today in a bid to head off the strike, Maritime Union officials are limiting these to their lunch break as workers prepare to walk off the job across the Auckland waterfront and picket its two container terminals.
The port company accuses the union of inflexibility, and has indicated to the Herald a willingness to discuss modifying its offer of a 3.25 per cent pay rise for each of three years with a productivity agreement worth up to 2.5 per cent more.
But the union says workers are furious the company has already paid the 3.25 per cent increase into their bank accounts without permission, while refusing back-pay from when the collective agreement expired in November.
Union branch president Denis Carlisle said the company's bargaining advocate waited until late last week before asking for talks to resume today - which were difficult for him to accommodate because of a day-long union executive meeting.
Port human resources chief Jon Baxter said he had been in almost daily contact with Mr Carlisle to try to find a way past the impasse, but was told the union was unprepared to reduce a pay claim that the company believed would cost 10 to 15 per cent in the first year.
That is the company's estimate of the cost of allowances the union is seeking, including a week's extra holiday, combined with a wage rise of 4.5 to 4.9 per cent.
New chief executive Jens Madsen denies trying to undermine the union's claim in deciding to give staff the 3.25 per cent increase as a "down-payment" on an eventual settlement.
"I thought it was the natural thing to do because negotiations had simply been going on too long."
The union has also served notice of a follow-up strike next Tuesday for 3.25 hours, equating to what it says was the amount of the company's unauthorised injection of funds into its members' bank accounts. And Mr Carlisle said he was under instructions from the workers to call two more "rolling strikes" after that.
