Striking Staff Barred From Airport Grounds

QUEENSTOWN — Picketing Mount Cook Airlines ground staff were banned from the Queenstown Airport grounds yesterday.

The striking baggage handlers and ticketers had to picket at the edge of the airport grounds.

The airport is owned by the Queenstown Airport Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Queenstown Lakes District Council.

Corporation staff also evicted a TV news crew from the terminal.

Engineering Printing Manufacturing and Union spokeswoman Libby Carr said the strike over a wage dispute was a community issue and, because the airport was owned by the community, the strikers should be allowed to picket there. However, Queenstown mayor Clive Geddes said the council left all airport management to the Queenstown Airport Corporation.