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Nearly 300 sacked port workers have won back their jobs after Ports of Auckland’s u-turn decision to drop moves to replace them with contractors and re-enter collective agreement talks with the Maritime Union.
The ports company, which had boasted a “bulletproof” legal case, made its surprise decision last night after an informal conference in the Employment Court.
A minute from Judge Barrie Travis said the company had agreed not to take any further steps to make union workers redundant and would halt its contracting out processes.
The port company and the union agreed to re-enter mediation for a new collective agreement.
The backdown follows a Herald investigation into a ports manager who was at the bargaining table with the Maritime Union and was also allegedly recruiting non-union wharfies for a private stevedoring company.
Ports of Auckland refused to comment on the allegations, saying the dispute was before the Employment Court and Judge Travis had instructed the parties not to speak publicly.
THE NUMBERS
* 40 days lost time so far.
* 9 strikes over 38 days.
* 1 lockout for 2 days.Dateline
* Sept 2011: Talks begin for a new collective employment agreement for 235 Maritime Union members; 2.5 per cent pay rise offered for each of three years.
* Nov 16: Union issues notice of two 24-hour strikes in bid to regain four jobs contracted out during previous agreement.
* Nov 18: Company responds with notice of two 24-hour lockouts.
* Dec 2: 24-hour strike.
* Dec 3-4: 48-hour lockout.
* Dec 5: 24-hour strike.
* Dec 8: Company offers 10 per cent wage rise in return for rostered shifts varying from five to 12 hours a day.
* Dec 10-11: 48-hour strike.
* Dec 23: 24-hour strike.
* Dec 25: 24-hour strike.
* Dec 30 to Jan 1: 48-hour strike.
* Jan 9 to 11: 48-hour strike.
* Feb 10: 24-hour strike.
* Feb 26: Start of current strike.
* Mar 7: 292 workers fired.
* Mar 21: Fired workers win back jobs.