A senior Lyttelton Port Company worker has warned Christchurch City Council that proposed job cuts at the port could lead to serious safety risks, including the possibility of future deaths.

Speaking during a council meeting, Gerard Loader, a foreperson stevedore at LPC, said the company’s proposed restructure would remove critical roles responsible for safety oversight, including his own position, and replace them with fewer staff on lesser employment terms.

“First off, I would like to thank you all for giving me the opportunity to speak today at such short notice, and please bear in mind that some of what I’m sharing could be seen as whistleblowing by my employer,” Loader told councillors.

Loader claimed LPC’s restructure, overseen by CEO Graham Sumner and Chief of Container Operations Amrita Balram, would dissolve 31 full-time positions and 24 relieving roles, including six management jobs and 49 roles covered by union collective agreements.

In place of the roles being cut, 20 new positions would be created under individual agreements with reduced terms and conditions, meaning 16 people could face redundancy or be demoted to cargo handler positions.

Loader warned that removing experienced forepeople from operations poses a serious risk to worker safety.

“I’m speaking today because the restructure proposal comes under the guise of health and safety development, all things that are core to the role of the foreperson and relievers,” he said.

“Our main responsibility is to show that every person who enters the port, be it cargo handlers, foreign crews, contractors or truck drivers, leaves the port alive and in one piece.”

Loader said stevedoring is one of the most dangerous occupations in New Zealand, second only to forestry for serious injuries and second to mining for workplace deaths.

“In fact, you have more chance of being seriously maimed or killed on a wharf in New Zealand than you would if you joined any of our armed forces,” he said.

Loader referenced multiple fatalities he had witnessed during his time at LPC, including two friends.

“None of these deaths have happened under the supervision of a foreperson, something we are proud of and wish to continue,” he said.

He warned that the model LPC is proposing resembles the one previously introduced at Ports of Auckland, which was linked to the death of stevedore Pala’amo Kalati, a father of seven. That incident led to the charging against former Ports of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson.

“This keeps me awake at night, as I know that this proposal will result in another death in the port because a foreperson will not be present. This is something I don’t really know if I will cope with, as I have witnessed enough death on the job as it is.”

Loader appealed to councillors to intervene and ensure LPC honours its commitments to staff under collective agreements and works with unions to develop a safer solution.

“What I’m asking of you, the council, bearing in mind that Graham Sumner gave his word that anyone under collective agreement would not be affected by the restructure, is to instruct LPC or Christchurch City Holdings Limited to honour the letter of expectation to engage with unions and invite both MUNZ and RMTU to the table to come up with a solution that works for everybody,” he said.

Loader also questioned accountability if the restructure proceeds and a fatality occurs.

“Finally, I ask who will be held to account when a death occurs. Will it be the innocent victim? Will it be the Container Operations Officer Amrita? Will it be the CEO Graham, who has employed a lawyer to protect himself and LPC from legal liability? Or now I have made you all aware of our concerns, will it be you, the councillors and mayor that let this happen, all for the sake of saving $3.9 million in wages?”

Christchurch City Council, through Christchurch City Holdings Limited, is the owner of Lyttelton Port Company.

In a statement to chrislynchmedia.com LPC Chief Executive Officer Graeme Sumner said “as part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing operations and ensuring the safety and well-being of our staff, Lyttelton Port Company is proposing changes to the Container Terminal Operations Team.