Maritime Union of New Zealand

A second group of Ukrainian crew members aboard the arrested vessel Aleksandr Ksenofontov in Dunedin are at loggerheads with employers and have approached the Maritime Union seeking help.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the situation with the fishing vessel is a classic example of the problems still coming to the surface in the fishing industry.

Members of the Maritime Union are staging a protest today on board a vessel at the Ports of Auckland.

Maritime Union Auckland Seafarers Branch Secretary Garry Parsloe says the crew members started their protest on the trans-Tasman freighter Rotoiti at the Ports of Auckland Bledisloe Terminal at 7am this morning Saturday 4 November 2006.

The Maritime Union says that co-operation between ports and regions is vital to the future of the maritime industry and New Zealand.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the proposed merger of Ports of Auckland and Port of Tauranga needs to be managed as part of a national ports strategy driven by regional co-operation.

Two major transport unions, the Maritime Union of New Zealand and the Rail and Maritime Transport Union, have welcomed the announcement of an independent review into casual jobs.

Maritime unions from around the Pacific are represented in Wellington this week for the second three-yearly conference of the Maritime Union of New Zealand.

The sailing of the Cook Strait ferry Kaitaki yesterday in extreme weather conditions is a cause of concern, says Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson.

"The first goals of the Union are to ensure the lives of crew are not endangered and the public are also protected."

Maritime Union of New Zealand General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the Union will resist any attempt to undermine wages and conditions through short term casual workers imported under free trade deals.

The Maritime Union says the new rules to improve wages and conditions for overseas fishing crews announced today are good news for workers.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the announcement means the industry will be brought into line with the rest of New Zealand business.

The Maritime Union says the free trade deal with China is the biggest threat to workers in New Zealand since the introduction of the Employment Contracts Act in 1991.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the importation of short-term, casualized skilled labour being paid the minimum wage will be a disaster.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says comments by corporate heads of New Zealand's fishing industry shows their outlook is outdated.

He says some fishing bosses are trying to undermine a Government plan to ensure market rates were paid to all fishermen in New Zealand waters.