While the picketing is not linked to the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) and Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) tandem collective negotiations starting next month, it was nevertheless a display of union resolve over retaining jobs.
More than 40 supporters and members, mainly from the RMTU and MUNZ, picketed Port Otago's building entrance for about 90 minutes yesterday afternoon over the proposal to make a receptionist of eight years redundant.
The picketing, during non-work time for members, was generally good natured with sporadic pro-union chanting, but numbers were down on expectations, due to changes to a vessel's schedule.
RMTU branch president Ruth Blakeley said the proposed redundancy of the Port Chalmers woman would leave a "security gap".
Ms Blakeley said a stand was being made because the proposal was "out of the blue". She went on to claim Port Otago was resisting attempts at mediation over the proposal.
She denied the picketing was being used as a "shot over the bow" of Port Otago for pending negotiations, a sentiment also rejected by Port Otago chief executive Geoff Plunket, when he was contacted.
Unionists claimed a surprise stopwork meeting would be launched by the RMTU today.
Mr Plunket said union feed-back had only just been returned and said when a decision was made, possibly by the end of the week, Port Otago would then be "happy to go into mediation".
The proposal was prompted by difficult trading conditions and needs for efficiencies and productivity gains, which affected the receptionist with potential redundancy, and a manager who may have to change roles.
While the bitter Auckland dispute drags on, with the Auckland port and maritime union entrenched in their respective expectations, the southern Port Chalmers branches of the RMTU, with 65 members, and MUNZ, 170 members, are about to go into contract negotiations.
Both are looking to renew their two-year collective agreements, which expire in July.
During the past financial year, there were 17 voluntary redundancies at Port Otago, costing the 100% Otago Regional Council-owned company $500,000.
• In the separate Auckland dispute, Ports of Auckland said the joint application with the Maritime Union of New Zealand for a facilitation meeting overseen by the Employment Relations Authority had been accepted by the latter and the process was due to begin "shortly".
The formal facilitation process, whose recommendations are non-binding, follows months of failed and bitter talks, strikes, the sacking of almost 300 workers and their subsequent reinstatement, a pending Employment Court case and failed mediation.
• Hopes of speedy settlement in the Talley's Group-owned Affco dispute have been dashed following the last-minute cancellation of mediation discussions, APNZ reported.
The cancellation of today's meeting has left Meat Union workers fuming and representatives have accused Affco of being "unwilling" to resolve the dispute or get workers back to work.
