Welcome to the Maritime Union of New Zealand

Submitted by munz on Tue, 03/04/2007 - 22:38.

The Maritime Union was formed in 2002 when the New Zealand Waterfront Workers' Union and the New Zealand Seafarers' Union joined together.

We represent waterfront workers, seafarers and related workers in new zealand.

The union offers a range of services to members, including negotiating employment agreements, providing work related legal advice, promoting health and safety on the job, and promoting the interests of working people - our members.

Maritime Union says rail and ferry buyback on the right track

Submitted by munz on Wed, 07/05/2008 - 01:32.


The Maritime Union says the buyback of rail and ferries is a good step towards rebuilding a top quality transport system in New Zealand.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the move is positive for New Zealand, and should have been done a long time ago.

"The only regret is that we have now had a generation where this vital part of our infrastructure has been first asset stripped then unsuccessfully operated by global corporations interested in shareholder profit, not for what is good for New Zealand."

Mr Hanson says the Government was moving in the right direction but should not be timid.

"We need some more speed in developing New Zealand-owned coastal shipping, establishing a national ports strategy, and ensuring our transport infrastructure is developed for the benefit of New Zealand, not private interest groups or overseas shareholders."

Mr Hanson says shipping and rail will be the two transport modes of the future as fuel prices, road congestion and environmental problems continue to grow.

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We support US dockers May Day protest against war

Submitted by munz on Fri, 02/05/2008 - 01:42.
More than 25,000 longshore workers at 29 west coast ports in the USA called an end to the war in Iraq on May 1 by staying at home.
 
The workers were members of the ILWU, the waterfront union on the west coast of the USA, which has strong links to the Maritime Union of New Zealand.
 
Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the action was supported by workers in many nations.
He says that maritime workers have always been strong supporters of internationalism and workers uniting across the world.
"The maritime industry is a global industry and maritime workers understand the importance of global solidarity. We have always been opposed to war, whether it was before World War Two when New Zealand waterfront workers refused to load pig iron for Japan, or when we took action against nuclear warships in New Zealand ports in the 1980s."
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Maritime Union of New Zealand criticizes China free trade agreement at international maritime union conference in Sydney

Submitted by munz on Tue, 08/04/2008 - 04:13.
The Maritime Union of New Zealand says the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China will be closely watched by workers.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says any attempts by employers to use international labour to attack wages and conditions will meet with a strong reaction.

Mr Hanson is currently in Sydney for the Maritime Union of Australia quadrennial conference and will address the conference this week on issues including union concerns on the free trade agreement.

He says free trade agreements tend to be an ongoing process rather than a one-off, and maritime and transport unions around the world viewed free trade agreements as mechanisms to attack working people.

"We don't believe this free trade agreement with China is just going to mean New Zealand selling more dairy products. There will be a major pay off and we believe the implications for workers conditions, human rights and national sovereignty have been disregarded in the shallow analysis and lack of debate we have seen in New Zealand."
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Maritime Union says underpaid Chinese flight crews a warning on free trade deal

Submitted by munz on Sun, 16/03/2008 - 08:30.

The Maritime Union says the use of overseas flight crews being paid under the minimum wage by Air New Zealand is a blatant attack on workers.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the union has severe concerns about the use of overseas labour by employers as a method of attacking wages and conditions – and says that under free trade deals with China the situation could become much worse.

He says the fact that Air New Zealand is paying a group of overseas workers under the minimum wage to do the same work as New Zealand flight crews was a disturbing development, but not unexpected.

"The Maritime Union has said for years that free trade deals will move us towards the use of short-term, casual labour being imported across borders, as has happened in many other countries."

"The Maritime Union believes this incident is an excellent illustration of our concerns about what will become commonplace under free trade deals."
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