Gibson puts his money where his mouth is

Written By: - Date published: 11:19 am, January 16th, 2012 - 20 comments
Categories: capitalism, Satire - Tags:

An interesting passage from Herald on Sunday article on Ports of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson and Maritime Union President Garry Parsloe:

As he fronts the media, his communications manager Catherine Etheredge is never far from his side, even answering some of the questions put to her high-flying boss. Gibson seems dumbstruck when asked about his salary. Before he has a chance to clear his throat, Etheredge pipes up: “That is not a matter of public record and I think the point is that it is not Tony’s salary that is being negotiated.”

Gibson won’t confirm reports he earns $750,000, saying it’s not relevant: “Frankly, I don’t do this for the money,” he insists. “I do it because I’m very passionate about the organisation and change, and I think we can really make a difference.” Across town, at the Maritime Union offices above a second-hand furniture store off Auckland’s CBD, Parsloe [a stevedore of 42 years experience on a $66,000 income] is delighted to hear his adversary doesn’t turn up in the morning for cash. “That’s great news,” Parsloe grins. “They should stop paying him then. That would save the port quite a lot of money every year for a start.”

“Fair cop” said Gibson “Here I am demanding 320 workers give up $20,000 each, a third of their pay packets, to save the company $6 million. These are people who are on call 24/7/365 for $27 an hour. They’re people who have a better than 1 chance of being seriously injured on the job during a working life. How can I ask them to do that for a third less? It doesn’t really make much sense anyway: the first year’s savings would be more than lost by redundancy payments and lost productivity from pissed off workers will mean slower unloading times, which is what the clients really care about.”

“The five senior managers and I get $3.2 million a year combined. It makes a fuckload more sense for me to take a pay cut. God knows I have more money than I know what to do with. If I reduce my pay to that of a minister and the managers’ to the same as an MP, it’ll save over $2 million a year and none of the real workers and their families has to suffer. Now, excuse me while I get Fonterra and Maersk on the blower and see if I can get them back – if they leave it’ll cost us far more than we would save from contracting out.”

For reasons I can’t quite fathom, only the first two paragraphs are real.

20 comments on “Gibson puts his money where his mouth is ”

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  1. fender 1
    16 January 2012 at 12:00 pm

    Oh of course it’s easy to say “I don’t do it for the money” when after a couple of months you have enough money for the rest of the year.
    I don’t believe his bs anyway, the money is all he wants, theres no way he deserves it either.

  2. mickysavage 2
    16 January 2012 at 12:06 pm

    It is interesting that the right do not batter an eyelid at the hypocricy of someone earning an exorbitant amount of money insisting that the workers receive a pay cut so that the company can function more efficiently.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 2.1
      16 January 2012 at 12:19 pm

      It’s not hypocrisy if the sole motivation is to see other people made miserable, to bolster your own pathetically wizened self-esteem.

  3. Colonial Viper 3
    16 January 2012 at 12:22 pm

    Top NZ CEO pay (for public companies only)

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/5477450/Pay-gap-between-bosses-and-workers-widens

    PoT CEO is on $720K p.a.

    When is Gibson cutting his own pay and conditions in order to lead his troops by example?

  4. CnrJoe 4
    16 January 2012 at 1:54 pm

    god that was awesome, i even got a little thrill as it sped up towards the end

    if ffs only

  5. mickysavage 5
    16 January 2012 at 4:38 pm

    28 Auckland Local Board members have come out opposing privatisation of the Wharf and the contracting out of union jobs and supporting good faith bargaining.

    • Jared 5.1
      16 January 2012 at 6:45 pm

      Looking at the Local Board members that signed it, you may as well have draft and released under the NZ Labour Party.

      • Colonial Viper 5.1.1
        16 January 2012 at 7:04 pm

        That’s only because the NZ Labour party cares about maintaining decent worker pay and conditions, as opposed to constantly improving the pay and conditions of Bankers, Bosses and Owners.

      • Anne 5.1.2
        16 January 2012 at 7:09 pm

        Trying to link the PoA industrial dispute with the Labour Party eh Jared? I’m an Auckland based Labour Party member and more than half those names are unknown to me. In other words, they are not Labour Party luminaries or (probably) even members.

        • lprent 5.1.2.1
          16 January 2012 at 9:43 pm

          Yeah, I see old alliance, greens, independents, and some Labour supporters there. Plus a number that I have no idea about.

          Basically Jared is a bit of a dipshit when it comes to any kind of differences. He’d have problems with the one and two dollar coins looking so much alike.

      • Matthew Whitehead 5.1.3
        17 January 2012 at 3:54 am

        Even if it were Labour Party Members, they’re still board members.

        You need to think a bit less about what side people are on, and a bit more about what they’re saying.

  6. Anne 6
    16 January 2012 at 5:18 pm

    I note that none of the North Shore Board members appear on that list. Sitting on the fence for fear of losing their positions come the next Local Body elections?

    • Julie Fairey 6.1
      17 January 2012 at 9:07 am

      Anne – there are at least three from Kaipatiki off the top of my head – Richard Hills, Grant Gillon and John Gillon. It’s a difficult time of year to get hold of Local Board members (myself included) – there has been a deliberate timetabling of light duties during January by Local Board services to allow for a break after a very hectic 2011, and as a result many members are taking the opportunity to have a holiday through January, as we’re unlikely to get much downtime again in 2012. Further Local Board members may indicate support over the coming weeks, we shall see I guess.

      • Anne 6.1.1
        17 January 2012 at 9:32 am

        My mistake. I was referring to the Devonport/Takapuna Local Board . I’m still in North Shore City mode.

        • Julie Fairey 6.1.1.1
          17 January 2012 at 10:45 am

          I’m from the Shore originally myself, so I tend to struggle to think beyond Kaipatiki when it comes to North Shore local body politics (I grew up in Glenfield) 😉 Will keep my eye out for any comment from Devonport/Takapuna types!

  7. randal 7
    17 January 2012 at 7:33 pm

    well anyway he would find it hard to put his wedge of cash into his gob when he already has both feet in it.

  8. Jum 8
    17 January 2012 at 10:50 pm

    Nobody from the Franklin and Papakura Local Boards, both NAct strongholds has considered the unfair treatment against Port workers by POA.

    Here they are:

    Franklin Local board members
    • Andrew Baker (Chair)
    • Jan Sinclair (Deputy Chair)
    • Bill Cashmore
    • Lance Gedge
    • Murray Kay
    • Daniel Lynch
    • Paul Muir
    • Jill Naysmith
    • Magan Ranchhod
    Papakura Local Board Members
    • John Robinson (Chair)
    • Brett Catchpole (Deputy Chair)
    • Caroline Conroy
    • Hine Joyce-Tahere
    • Graham Purdy
    • Michael Turner