Maritime Union of New Zealand

Port merger must be driven by public interest, not commercial interests

November 1, 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.

He says that the recent coastal shipping report by the Shipping Federation and the announcement of a Government review into casualization of employment showed that good work was being done on the problems faced by the maritime industry.

Last Kiwi crew on trans-Tasman vessel stage shipboard protest

November 4, 2006

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.

He says the crew are drawing attention to the fact that when the Rotoiti is withdrawn from service on 26 November, it will be the end of the last New Zealand crewed ship working on the trans-Tasman trade.

Industrial action on cards if job losses from Stadium

November 22, 2006

The Maritime Union of New Zealand says the Port of Auckland is too important to be disrupted by the proposed waterfront stadium.

Maritime Union Local 13 President Denis Carlisle says job losses are a major concern if the stadium interferes with the running of Ports of Auckland, and the Union would consider industrial action to protect workers livelihoods.

“The Ports of Auckland are asking for guarantees that they will not suffer any financial loss from the stadium project, and likewise the Maritime Union will be seeking compensation for our members for any loss of work.”

A cashless Christmas for foreign fishing crews far from home

December 22, 2006

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.

Mr Hanson says around 14 senior crew members, believed to be officers, have approached the Dunedin police and the Maritime Union claiming their contract has been broken.

Major new New Zealand Transport Union on track

February 9, 2007

The Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) and Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) have announced an ‘agreement in principle’ to form a major new transport union.

A joint negotiating team has outlined a process for the formation of the new amalgamated Union that will cover both maritime workers in ports and on vessels, Rail and other Transport Industry workers.

Further negotiations will now take place on the final structure of the new Union, with the final proposal to be voted on by all members of the RMTU and MUNZ.

Holidays under threat?

July 27, 2009

The Maritime Union says it is concerned about proposals to allow workers’ holidays to be traded for cash.

Read the full article at the Otago Daily Times.

Truck plan means more blood on roads

July 21, 2009

The Maritime Union of New Zealand has slammed Government proposals to allow larger and heavier trucks on New Zealand roads as irresponsible and short-sighted.

The Union says New Zealand needs to promote low-impact, environmentally efficient modes such as coastal shipping and rail to handle the growth in freight, not bigger trucks.

Maritime Union of New Zealand General Secretary Trevor Hanson says proposed changes to land transport rules would see larger, heavier trucks dominating New Zealand roads for years to come.

“Roads will become more dangerous and more crowded leading to more and worse accidents – more blood on the road.”

Ports of Auckland workers ratify agreement

June 26, 2009

Maritime Union members at the Ports of Auckland have ratified their collective employment agreement with Ports of Auckland.

The new agreement was ratified by a meeting of members at the Ports on Thursday 25 June 2009.

The agreement will be signed next week. Details of the agreement are being kept confidential.