A man was hit by a 20 tonne truck during a picket line protest in Christchurch, as the dispute between Progressive Enterprises and its striking workers heats up.
Supermarket distribution workers are currently locked in a bitter industrial dispute with their employers and Saturday's incident marked a worsening of relations between the two sides.
The incident occurred at a Christchurch Countdown store, which the union claims is being used as an illegal distribution centre.
After a week with several arrests, the standoff claimed its first injury when a delivery truck struck a picketer who had stood in front of the truck trying to give the driver a leaflet.
Ian Gamblin said the driver refused to take the pamphlet and
kept moving back.
"I know I did enter their property...I tried to get out of the
way, I turned to the side and he hit me and just drove down."
Gamblin received a bruised hip but the union is concerned it could have been much worse.
In 1999 a protester was fatally injured on a picket line in Lyttelton.
Bob Brough from the National Distribution Union, who was on the
picket in Lyttelton when the death occurred, says the current
circumstances are different.
"These are professional drivers...so we're expecting some
reasonable conduct."
Workers' advocate Laila Harre believes it was an isolated incident. She says most truck drivers and workers are respecting the picket lines.
Harre says there has been an incredible groundswell of support for workers over the last 24 hours and generous financial donations have been given by the Maritime Union, other unions and individuals.
Progressive Enterprises is calling for calm in the wake of the growing hostility. The company says there is a growing incidence of violence as people become more frustrated. Chief executive Marty Hamnett says people need to keep calm and have faith in the mediation process.
Shortly after the truck incident the company says the driver was assaulted. Gamblin says he moved onto the property to talk to the driver and opened his door, placing a hand on his shoulder.
No formal complaint has been laid over the incident and mediation talks are continuing in Auckland.
Meanwhile, shoppers at Countdown, Woolworths and Foodtown supermarkets are seeing widening gaps on the shelves.
