Ports of Auckland industrial dispute and Part B as well - Assignment Example

e Port of Auckland wanted to compete with its closest rival, which is the Port of Tauranga by increasing its operational efficiency and increasing its production levels (Ports of Auckland, 2012). Ideally, any worker belonging to a union has the right to negotiate for an employment contract as provided in the collective employment agreement on meaning that the Port of Auckland employees were within their rights to seek a renewal of their contracts through their union (Blackstock, 2012). During the course of the strike action by the Port of Auckland employees, several parties developed an interest in the case, each citing various reasons for their involvement in the matter.

In this part of the research, this essay will identify the various parties involved in the dispute and outline the key issues that propelled this action. Further, the focus will be on collective bargaining strategies and tactics used by the interested parties to the industrial action and the four conflict theories that are relevant in explaining the dialogue process and are able to influence the outcomes of industrial disputes. The principleparty involved in the dispute were the workers whose employment contracts had ended and their families as this action affected directly as compared to any other party.

The second party whose involvement could not be avoided was the port itself, meaning that the Ports of Auckland had to be a party to the dispute. Ideally, the port began operations in 1988, and has grown to be one of the largest ports in New Zealand, as its location is in one of the principle cities in the country (Ports of Auckland, 2012). Ownership and control of the port is by the Auckland Council Investments Ltd, which holds significant shares in the port. The third party to the dispute was the Maritime Union of New Zealand in which its chief mandate was to spearhead the negotiations for their members to their employer (MUNZ, 2013).

The union is a result of a merger in 2002 between