Jobs – Page 4 – Maritime Union of New Zealand

Answers needed on KiwiRail – Fonterra deal

August 30, 2009

Cartoon courtesy of the Shipping Gazette

The Maritime Union has stepped up its demand for answers as fallout continues from Fonterra’s dumping of regional ports in favour of long distance rail – and the influence that state subsidies to KiwiRail may have had on any deal.

KiwiRail has waded into the growing debate over the fate of regional ports, as the implications of Fonterra’s withdrawal from ports in New Plymouth and Timaru becomes apparent.

Public Meeting for Port of Timaru – Thursday 17 September 2009

September 11, 2009

The Maritime Union of New Zealand is hosting a public meeting on the future of the Port of Timaru. The meeting will be held at “Robbies” (Hibernian Hotel), Latter Street, Timaru on Thursday 17 September starting at 7.30pm sharp.

All concerned local people are invited to the meeting, including port workers, unions, business, industry, farmers, and all those concerned with the future of the port.

For more information see the Port of Timaru campaign website.

Where does Minister of Transport Steven Joyce stand in regional ports furore?

September 3, 2009

The Maritime Union is asking where the Government and the Minister of Transport stands on the future of regional ports after Fonterra announced it was withdrawing from some regional ports in favour of transporting goods by long distance rail last month.

Jobs are under threat, casualization is hitting workers hard, and the viability of regional ports is under a cloud after the decision, which has created intense debate in the regions and the transport industry.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the union’s national executive met with a Fonterra representative earlier this week.

Government can put New Zealanders in containers, but it can’t give them jobs shipping them

August 27, 2009

The Maritime Union has a message for the Government: instead of jailing New Zealanders in containers, it would be better to have them working on the containers by rebuilding coastal shipping.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins announced today a “container unit” will be set up at Rimutaka Prison to house surging numbers of prisoners, the latest embarrassing step in New Zealand’s failure to confront the real issues behind crime.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says New Zealand workers have been forced out of maritime employment in their own country by allowing overseas labour to be exploited on the New Zealand coastal waters.

He says that due to the “open coast” policy introduced by National in the 1990s New Zealand had seen its shipping industry taken apart, while many other countries reserved their domestic merchant shipping and fisheries for local industry.

Fast food jobs shows National Government’s contempt for young workers

June 26, 2009

The Maritime Union says the National Government’s plan to act as a compulsory recruitment agency for McDonalds fast food chain is a travesty.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has described an agreement between WINZ and McDonalds that will provide up to 7000 unemployed workers for the fast-food chain’s growth plans over the next five years.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the scheme has two beneficiaries – a Government with a failing jobs policy, and a global corporation that will suck profits out of New Zealand.

Minister of Social Development has attacked freedom of speech

July 28, 2009

UPDATED: see TV interview here

The Maritime Union of New Zealand says that actions of Social Development Minister Paula Bennett and her office in releasing private information of New Zealand citizens is an attack of freedom of speech.

Maritime Union spokesperson Victor Billot says the deliberate release of the incomes of two solo mothers to the media was a sinister attempt to bully people into submission.

The two women had criticized cuts to training allowances that would make it more difficult for them to study and improve their qualifications.

“The actions of the Minister and her office are not about providing information for reasoned debate, it is clearly a tactic to frighten and bully anyone who stands up and has an opinion.”

A grim Christmas for foreign fishing crews

December 14, 2005

The Maritime Union says the arrest of shipjumpers in Nelson is not solving the cause of the problem.
Six Vietnamese shipjumpers were arrested on Tuesday night in Nelson.
Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says action is needed to ensure that crew members are being employed under decent conditions.
“This Christmas, there will be overseas crews working in New Zealand waters in dangerous conditions, for low pay, suffering abuse and exploitation, while we turn a blind eye because it is making a fat profit for someone.”

European dockers victory shows global tide turning against “pirate capitalism”

January 19, 2006

The Maritime Union says a major Union victory in Europe for job security for port workers signals a turning of the tide in the global maritime industry.

The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly on 18 January 2006 to throw out a plan to extend corporate control over European ports.

On 16 January, 6000 dockers from 16 European countries mounted a strong protest against the plan in Strasbourg, France, in defence of jobs, working conditions, health and safety, and the quality of port services.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says it is a major victory that was gained by an active campaign by workers – and which has implications for the New Zealand industry.