Representing New Zealand maritime workers since 2002
The Maritime Union of New Zealand says it warned for years that opening New Zealand coastal and trans-Tasman shipping to international carriers would create biosecurity risks from exotic pests.
Read MoreThe Maritime Union says that its fears about short-term casual labour being introduced into New Zealand have been confirmed.
Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the introduction of more cheap foreign labour into the New Zealand fishing industry is the death knell for New Zealand fishing employment.
Read MoreMaritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says there are two major issues at stake – firstly the status of imported workers doing jobs on the waterfront, but living aboard ships, and a second issue of safety and working conditions.
He says it appears that employers are now trying to get around immigration regulations by accommodating workers on board overseas ships, then getting them down the gangplank to work within New Zealand each day.
Mr Hanson says the workers were moved from their current accommodation in converted containers on the waterfront because the Lyttelton Port Company did not believe they were situated safely.
Read MoreThe Maritime Union says a plan by the Department of Labour to track down ship jumping crews by employing a private investigator is questionable at the least.
Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says that private investigators may be in favour of the plan as it will ensure an endless income stream for them in the future, but it would not solve ship jumping.
Read MoreThe Maritime Union says the Department of Labour’s stance on two Vietnamese fishermen who have jumped ship in Nelson is unacceptable.
Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the Department of Labour has stated in the media it will not act until formally notified by the fishing vessel charterers that crew members are missing.
“In this case, the two missing crew members have obviously jumped ship from the Sky 75, like the ten Indonesian crew members before them, and these two fishermen are probably living rough.”
Read MoreThe Maritime Union says that free trade deals and recent GATS negotiations have the potential to introduce cutprice overseas labour into New Zealand ports.
Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the use of ship’s crews and imported labour on the waterfront is becoming a major problem around the world.
“International maritime companies are already moving low-wage, short term and casual labour across borders to work in ports around the world.”
Read MoreThe Maritime Union of New Zealand says it will support the Maritime Union of Australia and the Australian union movement in their fight to protect the rights of workers.
Maritime Union of New Zealand General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the Australian federal Government’s plans to attack job standards for workers was experienced on the New Zealand side of the Tasman Sea in the 1990s, with the Employment Contracts Act (ECA) introduced by the National Government in 1991.
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