globalization – Page 4 – Maritime Union of New Zealand

Maritime Union says minimum wage free trade deal will meet industrial resistance

October 9, 2006

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.

He says that comments by Trade Minister Phil Goff on the China free trade deal are disturbing for workers and not in line with the Labour Government’s commitment to a high skill, high wage economy.

There will be no incentive for training or paying for skills if businesses are able to step outside the national labour market and pull in trained staff on the minimum wage, says Mr Hanson.

Maritime Union congratulates Government action on overseas fishing crews

October 9, 2006

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.

“Despite a co-ordinated campaign by special interests in the industry, the Government has made the right decision and the principled decision.”

Free trade deal biggest threat to workers since Employment Contracts Act

October 6, 2006

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.

“This is obviously going to have a major and negative effect on wages and conditions in New Zealand.”

Push for cheap labour trafficking in Oz shows where free trade deals are leading

June 28, 2006

The Maritime Union of New Zealand says that growing pressure to bring unskilled labour into Australia under a free trade agreement has confirmed its worst fears.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says that proposals to allow companies to import unskilled Chinese workers into Australian ports and construction sites gave a clear message to New Zealand workers.

“This is the equivalent of a huge neon sign flashing out the warning that free trade deals will inevitably lead to a collapse in wages, conditions and workers rights. It is time we have a national debate on free trade, and get the issue away from the control of bureaucrats and private interest groups.”

Plea for help from fishing vessel “named and shamed” in global abuse report

June 13, 2006

Burmese crew members aboard the fishing vessel “Sky 75” in the Port of Timaru have approached unions with a plea for help, a day after their vessel was “named and shamed” in an international report.

The fishing vessel “Sky 75” was featured as a specific example of crew abuse in an international report from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) that was presented to a United Nations meeting on maritime law that opened in New York yesterday.

New Zealand ITF co-ordinator Kathy Whelan says the “Sky 75” is a repeat offender, and the vessel had already come to the attention of the ITF when 10 Indonesian crew left the Korean registered fishing vessel ‘Sky 75’ in the Port of Nelson in September 2005.

International report on crew abuse highlights abuse in New Zealand waters

June 12, 2006

As the Maritime Union fights for the rights of seafarers in New Zealand waters, a new report from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) to the United Nations paints a disturbing picture of abuses of human rights at sea.
The report names the case of the ‘Sky 75’ in New Zealand waters as one of “ruthless exploitation of fishing crews.”
The New Zealand ITF and Maritime Union took action when 10 Indonesian crew left the Korean registered fishing vessel ‘Sky 75’ in the Port of Nelson in September 2005.

Maritime Union supports hunger strike by Ukrainian crew

May 30, 2006

The Maritime Union says a hunger strike by striking Ukrainian crew members in Lyttelton is a “symptom of the disease of exploitation in the fishing industry.”

Four crew members of the eight crew remaining aboard the fishing vessel “Malakhov Kurgan” are locking themselves in a cabin and are going on an indefinite hunger strike.

They are protesting about not being paid the wages that are owed to them under New Zealand law.

Treatment of Ukrainian Crew a national disgrace

May 17, 2006

The Maritime Union says that the treatment of a Ukrainian fishing crew in Lyttelton is a national disgrace and a prime example of the problems plaguing the fishing industry.

The crew have been on strike for unpaid wages aboard the fishing vessel Malakhov Kurgan which is laid up in the Port of Lyttelton.

Eight crew members remain on strike aboard after refusing a deal that 19 of their fellow crew members accepted.