Breakthrough for port

By Chris Hutching

Friday 22nd November 2002

Just two weeks after the departure of Lyttelton Port Co chairman Brent Layton and managing director David Viles, the company has clinched an agreement with waterfront unions in mediated talks that broke a two-and-a-half-year impasse.

During that time the unions have resisted moves to free up labour practices but now the collective agreement has been settled with union heads pending ratification from members who have previously rejected such agreements.

The industrial situation at the port reached a climax a couple of months ago when the port company lost two significant container shipping contracts to rival ports partly because of inflexible rostering systems at the port.

In spite of delivering big dividends to 65% municipally owned shareholder Christchurch City Holdings, over recent years Dr Layton and Mr Viles fell foul of local politics and their jobs were the price to be paid for a negotiated settlement, inside sources say.

But the real proof of new Christchurch City-appointed chairman Barney Sundstrum's leadership will the detail in the industrial agreement and specifically the price to be paid by the port company for the flexible rostering it has been seeking.

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