Trespasses issued in Sky City industrial dispute

Auckland's Sky City Casino has issued Unite Union national director Mr Treen and campaigns officer Joe Carolan with trespass orders. This is the latest move by the company in an industrial dispute that has been going since last year. Unite told 3 News the Auckland casino's trespass orders against them are illegal- currently union organisers have a legal right to enter workplaces- "They wanted some assurances with regard to our access and we agreed to all of their assurances," said Treen, "but they wanted to put an additional condition on, which was that we wouldn't participate or encourage anyone else to participate in pickets on SkyCity, and we said that's got nothing to do with our legal right of access. "They wanted some assurances with regard to our access and we agreed to all of their assurances," says Mr Treen, "but they wanted to put an additional condition on, which was that we wouldn't participate or encourage anyone else to participate in pickets on SkyCity, and we said that's got nothing to do with our legal right of access. That's to do with people's civil rights of protest, and we can't give up what rights we have as citizens in this country to protest SkyCity, especially with workers who work there and as representatives of those workers." The pair have challenged Sky City but turning up to distribute leaflets.

mike treen at sky city DDQyI 17844

Two police officers showed up; "[SkyCity] didn't inform the police that there was a dispute over the legal right of access – they just told them they had a trespass on the premises, so the police thought this was a routine case of ejecting a trespasser," Mike Treen told waiting media, who were not allowed to enter the building. Later a senior police officer arrived and had a 45 minute conversation Treen described as "very amicable". Police had to leave to attend "more urgent" matters, including an armed robbery. "Let's just call it a draw for today," he said, with a small laugh.