Audited pay facts from Ports of Auckland

Ports of Auckland have twice released information on average remuneration levels for wharfies or stevedores employed by them. Many on the left have claimed these figures are wrong on the basis of a column by Matt McCarten which used third hand information from the union.

It has been interesting seeing so many try to deny factual figures, on the basis of just wishing they were different, as they are unhelpful to their cause.

Anyway Ernst & Young have audited the Ports of Auckland figures, and confirmed them. Hopefully this means the deniers will now be quiet. I’ve embedded below the Scribd by Whale.

Ports of Auckland Fact Sheet – Ernst and Young

A summary is:

• Ernst & Young found Ports of Auckland was correct in stating that the average remuneration for full time stevedores was $91,000.
• Not a single full-time stevedore earned as little as the $56,700 described by theMaritime Union as the basic wage at Ports of Auckland.
• Ernst & Young found that even part time stevedores made more than this, earning on average $65,000.
• 43 individuals earned over $100,000 with the highest earner making $122,000.
• Union claims that a stevedore would have to work around 32 weeks of overtime a year to receive the average remuneration of $91,000 are untrue.
• The $91,000 includes a range of allowances, benefits and shift payments with the average number of hours paid per week averaging 43.9.
• However, the real issue is the lack of flexibility which results in an excessive amount of paid downtime at the port. This means that for every 40 hours paid, Ports of Auckland’s stevedores are only working 26.

So Ernst & Young have confirmed that the average remuneration for a wharfie at POAL is $91,000 and the average umber of hours actually worked a week to gain that is 28 (26 x 44/40). That is an average hourly remuneration of $62.50 for actual hours worked.