<p>A New Zealand supermarket distribution dispute could spread to the country’s ports if it is not resolved soon, unions have warned.</p> <p>Supermarket operator Progressive Enterprise has locked out distribution staff after industrial action for a national collective agreement.</p> <p>The two unions representing port and maritime workers, the Maritime Union of New Zealand and the Rail and Maritime Transport Union, are discussing direct action, they said in a joint statement yesterday (Thursday, September 7). </p> <p>Maritime Union of New Zealand general secretary Trevor Hanson said failure to resolve the dispute “will mean the union members will immediately begin reviewing their options to deal with Progressive cargo coming into New Zealand ports”.</p> <p>A Maritime Union official has been delegated to work alongside the National Distribution Union, the New Zealand International Transport Federation (ITF) coordinator and the ITF head office in London. †</p> <p>The New Zealand unions said they had been in “joint discussions on solidarity actions with Australian unions, including the Maritime Union of Australia, the Rail Tram and Bus Union, and the Transport Workers Union, and solidarity donations are already arriving from major Australian unions”.</p> <br />
