Featured Stories
 

Welcome to the Maritime Union

The Maritime Union of New Zealand was formed in 2002 when the New Zealand Waterfront Workers' Union and the New Zealand Seafarers' Union joined together. We represent waterfront workers, seafarers and related workers in New Zealand. The union offers a range of services to members, including negotiating employment agreements, providing work related legal advice, promoting health and safety on the job, and promoting the interests of working people - our members.

Maritime workers gear up to resist Ports of Auckland outsourcing

A meeting of around 150 Auckland maritime workers held today had a simple message for Ports of Auckland management about plans to outsource labour to outside contractors: "not this century."

Roger Douglas youth rates bill an attack on workers

The Maritime Union of New Zealand has poured scorn on a bill introduced to Parliament by ACT MP Roger Douglas to reintroduce youth rates. The Minimum Wage (Mitigation of Youth Unemployment) Amendment Bill was drawn from the Members’ bills ballot yesterday, and the Union is urging the Government to distance itself from it.

Maritime Union opposes outsourcing at Ports of Auckland

The Maritime Union of New Zealand says outsourcing at Ports of Auckland cannot replace a skilled in-house workforce.

Maritime Union opposes any GST increase

Maritime Union General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says a proposed rise of GST to 15% suggested this afternoon by the Prime Minister would be bad for the majority of New Zealanders.

Unions unite in Ports of Auckland labour blunder

04 November 2009

The Ports of Auckland has been put on notice from Unions that it will have to train its own workforce rather than fly in staff from other ports. The port company wants to transfer skilled labour from Wellington and Lyttelton to keep up with work after 12 weeks ago laying off a substantial number of workers. Maritime Union of New Zealand National Vice President Garry Parsloe says the situation is a result of the port company ignoring Union advice. "They were told there were too many redundancies, and it would create a shortage of skilled workers. Now this has happened." He says that the Maritime Union would only agree for Unionised workers being transferred into Auckland if there was a written commitment from the Ports of Auckland to train a sufficient number of its own workforce.

Read the full story

Posted in Blog, Media releases3 Comments

International maritime workers represented at Maritime Union 2009 Conference

27 October 2009

Maritime workers from around the world have gathered in Wellington this week as the Maritime Union of New Zealand holds its third triennial conference. The three day conference sets the agenda for the next three years of the Union and runs through to Thursday 29 October. The conference was opened this morning by Leader of the Opposition Phil Goff.

Read the full story

Posted in Blog, Media releases1 Comment

Redundancy plan at Port Chalmers will be resisted

29 September 2009

Union members at Port Chalmers are vowing to resist redundancy threats. 35 jobs have been put at risk after management announcements, despite Port Otago's ongoing profitability. A full report is online here at the Otago Daily Times.

Read the full story

Posted in Blog, In the news0 Comments

Maritime Union thanks Sue Bradford for her support for workers

24 September 2009

The Maritime Union of New Zealand has thanked Green MP Sue Bradford, who announced her resignation from Parliament today, for her support for workers and those without a voice in the political process. Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says Sue Bradford was a friend of the Maritime Union and all workers. "Sue was a principle driven politician during her time in Parliament who was ahead of her time and who provided a contrast to many other faceless representatives."

Read the full story

Posted in Blog, Media releases0 Comments

Heavy trucking plan a “roadhog’s charter”

23 September 2009

The Maritime Union is backing Green Party calls for the Government to reconsider its push to put oversized trucks on New Zealand roads. Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the Government is obviously not concerned at the extra deaths and injuries that will occur as a result on New Zealand roads.

Read the full story

Posted in Blog, Media releases0 Comments

Timaru port meeting resounding success

20 September 2009

Over 100 local people attended a Timaru public meeting on the future of the port of Timaru on Thursday 17 September. The meeting was called by the Maritime Union of New Zealand following a decision last month by Fonterra to stop exports from the port of Timaru, which has resulted in a massive loss of work for the port. Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the meeting was a success.

Read the full story

Posted in Blog, Events0 Comments

Timaru meeting to defend port gathers steam

12 September 2009

Today's Timaru Herald features the Timaru public meeting this Thursday 17 September as their lead story. Read the full story here.

Read the full story

Posted in Blog, Events, In the news0 Comments

Public Meeting for Port of Timaru – Thursday 17 September 2009

11 September 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.

Read the full story

Posted in Blog, Events0 Comments

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

03 September 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.

Read the full story

Posted in Blog, Media releases0 Comments

Answers needed on KiwiRail – Fonterra deal

30 August 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.

Read the full story

Posted in Blog, Media releases0 Comments

« Newer Entries
Older Entries »

Twitter Updates

Photos on flickr

Campaign for a living wage

The Maritimes magazine

Superannuation

Redundancy Protection Bill