Holmes on POAL dispute
March 18th, 2012 at 11:04 am by David FarrarPaul Holmes writes in NZ Herald:
I formed the view that the ports company have not been ungenerous in their offers to the union. In fact, even Auckland Mayor Len Brown himself agreed that the company’s first offer made early last September should have been accepted.
The offer would have rolled over the collective agreement and given the workers a 2.5 per cent pay increase each year for three years. There were several offers but early on the company decided it could no longer tolerate its workers getting paid for sitting around doing nothing.
I do not believe the union when it says that it’s a lie that the workers earn in excess of $90,000 for an average 26 hours work. Ports of Auckland had Ernst and Young audit the figures. And that’s something you notice about the ports’ conduct throughout the dispute. They’ve done things very thoroughly.
The union’s argument that its people ceasing to be permanent staff would mean that their families couldn’t plan things was obliterated by the company’s offer to roster the men for 160 hours a month, and the roster delivered a month ahead. For the life of me, I can’t see what’s wrong with that.
I think the union was dyed in the wool. I think they didn’t read the signs. Before they knew it, it was all over. Nearly 300 men were made redundant, just like that. End of story. I think there were some hardliners who’ve buggered things up for everyone. Hysteria is never a good thing.
MUNZ turned down a sgnificant pay rise and a guarantee of 160 hours a month, with rosters known a month in advance. By turning it down, their name is now going to stand for More Unemployed New Zealanders.
Related posts:
- POAL pay facts
- Hosking on POAL
- Ports of Auckland loses Fonterra
- Port of Auckland to contract out workforce
March 18th, 2012 at 11:55 am
On the law of averages Holmes has to be right about something. He is wrong on the anti-smacking issue. He is wrong on by supporting global warming alarmist. It certainly now appears he was wrong it refusing to talk to anyone with a different point of view before writing his book on Erebus.
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
If he is correct, then the 300 families should sue their union!!
Vote:haha now I would love to see that.
March 18th, 2012 at 12:40 pm
Tauranga Harbour this morning is a hive of shipping activity.
Vote:One container vessel is waiting, say, 10kms offshore circling, whilst another is leaving. Another is, say, 20kms offshore steam up.
Under an hour later, say, – the new arrival is loading/unloading alongside wharf. Another is ready to leave.
Like Picadilly Circus.
I understand that the wharfies love the pay.
March 18th, 2012 at 1:18 pm
Yes, if I was a redundant union member I would be starting a class action against the union, for lost earnings and damages.
The MUNZ knew this was a likely outcome but decided to act against the workers best interest to make themselves look tough.
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 1:21 pm
MUNZ’s own goal over this issue exceeds that of the NZ Actors Equity over the Hobbit with Helen Kelly making a significant contribution to both PR disasters.
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
The lefties had to pick a battle line in their war against John Keys government.
The teachers tried last year but lets face it they ain’t rough, tough and thick wharfies.
Parsloe was the man come the moment and sadly for him, his stupid little cheer leader Helen Kelly, but most sadly of all for the POA wharfies he has been found lacking, mainly in brains.
Shit happens.
Accept the contract POA are offering boys, its the only game in town!
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
“One container vessel is waiting, say, 10kms offshore circling,”
Hope they have Astrolabe Reef highlighted on the GPS!
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
I don’t think the union can be sued by its own members; the members themselves voted to strike after all. My only criticism of their process was that (from what I understand) their voting was not conducted by secret ballot. That’s stupid.
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
That’s not stupid adze.
It’s called checking out the backstabbers so they get to slip and fall into the hold at a later date!
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Not a deep piece of writing from Holmes. I have a sneaky suspicion POAL made an offer in September they knew would be rejected and then went down hard against the Union. Meanwhile Helen Kelly is a deeply political person and uses industrial disputes to fight a political war against the Government. She is not that interested in the nature of the dispute, it is the war against the Government that matters most to her.
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Exactly tvb.
Her daddy trained her well.
We should be expecting more of the same as the lefty turds ramp up their class war against the government this term.
They know the battle will be won or lost this time round.
If they win we are finished for ever.
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 1:52 pm
tvb
Exactly, 300 jobs are battle causalities in a bigger war. I wonder when union members will wake up and realise that they are supporting the union more than it’s supporting them.
Helen Kelly & Gary Parsloe still have their jobs….
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 3:47 pm
MUNZ are munted. Good riddance.
cheers
David Prosser
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 4:00 pm
This could have a serious domino effect, and with a smaller union membership, reduce donations to the Labour Party.
Shearer’s shorn before he could pull the wool over our eyes. Power to the sheeple.
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 4:50 pm
I like sheeple!
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
Stupid fucking lefties, about time they realise the world doesn’t owe them a living. Are these people thick or what. So I guess we now have to pay these idiots welfare, what a screwed up place this is. If we all used their logic the whole country would be on strike as no one would be happy with their remuneration, shit we could all do with a pay rise but these idiots think that extortion can continue forever as the pot of gold will never run dry. I bet there is some gashing of teeth going on at the moment.
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 6:27 pm
Wouldn’t it be good to see the whole details instead of small parts of information released by one party or the other.
What does guarantee 160 hours work in a month mean (details)? A month in advance rosters what happens when ships are delayed?
And just because someone say over and over again that people get 90k for 26 hours work doesn’t make it true. Especially since one of the non union workers the management use says he gets $30 and hour. Things don’t add up
And why is it the POT total payments to contractors and workers is higher than POA wage / salary bill?
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 6:32 pm
If you are an unskilled dumbfuck, wouldn’t it just be nicer to have a job on say $75,000 a year instead of dying on the barricades for another fifteen grand Inky?
Not that I understand the mindfuck games that Helen and Gary are playing on their members of course!
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Pity Paul wasn’t up to date, there is an interim order reinstating the jobs of the sacked workers.
It’s not unknown that truck drivers and loaders sit around getting paid when they’re not working, unless you call waiting for work – working, it’s the nature of logistics. I think there is some different provision for Auckland bus drivers re down time. Additionally a POT spokesman said some staff there are paid higher than their Auckland counterparts which might be a reflection of how the down time or ‘on call’ time is dealt with.
When the interim order was made re-instating the jobs I think there was a direction for both sides to quit their sob stories and pr campaigns – which has not strictly been adhered to going by the Board Chairman having an interview with Michele Hewitson published in the NZ Herald yesterday. Maybe the Courts will get this moving this week.
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 7:13 pm
As I’m not an unskilled dumbfuck I wouldn’t know what I’d want. I’ll just take your word for it Johnboy.
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
“I wouldn’t know what I’d want.”
If you don’t know what you want Inky then you are an unskilled dumbfuck.
Don’t take my word for it. Do what the Wharfies do. Get Helen and Gary to do your thinking for you!
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 9:23 pm
“…Paul Holmes writes in NZ Herald:
I formed the view that…”
“Formed the view” have you Paul? Would you be the same Paul Holmes who “formed the view” that he was bigger than TVNZ and could shift his audience with him to Prime, who “formed the view” he could be a decent pilot, who “formed the view” that fucking Fleur Revell was a good idea and who also “formed the view” that he had been an excellent father to Millie Elder?
Godd luck with “forming those views” buddy.
Vote:March 18th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
Has anyone asked the Tauranga watersiders what they think about their pay and conditions and do they feel that they are getting a rough deal and are being exploited. It appears that this is one group of workers who couldn’t give two hoots for their working class comrades in Auckland
Vote:March 19th, 2012 at 8:10 am
cubit
I suspect they would rather work 26 hours and be paid for 40 than actually work 40…. Oh hang on they are shareholders… Oh that makes a difference because they are not solely focused on sticking it to the man and paying their union fees so they can be donated to labour… They actually have some skin in the game… Yes we better ask them !
Vote:March 19th, 2012 at 9:40 am
Fish Boy – Yes thats right, the same Paul Holmes who “formed the view” that he could reccord and release a CD and that people might buy it.
Vote:March 19th, 2012 at 12:36 pm
> They’ve done things very thoroughly.
Oh they have indeed. They’ve been kind and considerate enough to disclose information about a wharfie’s deceased wife and the fact he took time off to care for her. Now that’s a caring employer.
Vote:March 19th, 2012 at 12:40 pm
“Hysteria is never a good thing.”
Haha that’s a classic comment from Holmes considering his recent hysterical rant over Waitangi Day. The guy has an ironic sense of humour.
Vote:March 19th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Ross69
The information about the deceased wife was probably not personal information as defined in the Privacy Act and was probably generally known at the time. I imagine some of the other employer actions were also widely known at the time. The extent of paid leave was personal info and ordinarily should not have been disclosed. The issue is whether the employee publicly misrepresented the actions of the employer and, if so, whether that justified disclosure.
Vote:March 19th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
LOL you poor, sad, fanatical little fulla.
A guaranteed 160 hours work a month means you know you are full-time employed. No question about it you know you will be able to pay the mortgage this month. That’s a great position to be in.
Maybe they are odd hours, but your remuneration is VERY high by uneducated / semi-skilled standards so if you are smart you know this is a helluva good opportunity to make decent cash, so you should be happy to get up at 2am for your $90,000 per year.
When their employer says that is what they are paying, and an independent auditor verifies these figures, that really really does make it true. (Your definition of “the truth” is probably driven by political ideology and it may differ from a lot of people’s…? )
Maybe PoT wharfies work their ARSES OFF earning their money, and they are worth it?
Vote:March 19th, 2012 at 2:40 pm
I stopped reading after “Holmes on”
Vote:Hasnt he been put out to pasture about 10 years ago? Only here could a guy that thick and talentless get so much media space.
Only good thing I ever remember him doing was banging Hine Elder, and look where that got him
March 19th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
> When their employer says that is what they are paying, and an independent auditor verifies these figures, that really really does make it true
What’s true is that wharfies get paid $27 per hour. I’ll let you work out how many hours they need to work to get $90K. But clearly a 40 hour week is not going to cut the mustard.
Vote:March 19th, 2012 at 5:25 pm
Ironic that Holmes is not rabbitting on about port workers supposedly earning $91,000 (that figure is still in dispute, according to media reports).
In the 1990s there was a bit of an uproar about TVNZ paying Holmes $750,000 pa for his stint on the HOLMES tv show. Folks didn’t like their taxes being spent on a show-pony.
Vote: