The Maritime Union of New Zealand says National’s announcement of attacks on workers rights will be fought hard.

Maritime Union General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says the restrictions on union access to workplaces was a serious attack on the right of New Zealand workers to organize.

“National have now dropped any pretense of moderation in their policies – the phoney war is over and National’s agenda of tax cuts for the rich, privatization and now tearing up the basic rights of working people is out there for all to see.”

He says that National is embarking on a repeat of extremist 1990s policies but doing it in a more cunning way.

“The fact they have a smiley face fronting it this time around does not change the sinister intention.”

He says the attack on workers and their organizations is not surprising as the Government had failed to deal with unemployment, which was now rising again, and were looking to go on the offensive.

Mr Fleetwood says any attacks on workers would be met with fierce resistance.

He says unionized workers are one of the few obstacles to National creating a New Zealand where a majority of people would face an increasingly grim situation of high unemployment, poor wages, casualization and unaffordable housing and food.

“Unionized workers have better wages, better conditions, and safer workplaces – all reasons why National wants to bag unions and drag us back to the nineteenth century when workers had no rights.”

Mr Fleetwood says there is one way that New Zealand workers will “catch up with Australia.”

“That is to unionize and negotiate better pay.”

“The problem is that workers are getting less and less of a share of the wealth they produce which is being sucked up as corporate profits that accumulate to the already wealthy.”

Mr Fleetwood says the Maritime Union would campaign hard against any Government that threatened the hard won rights of the working class to organize.

He says all working New Zealanders must realize that the divide and rule approach of National was hurting their interests.

ENDS

For more information, contact Maritime Union of New Zealand General Secretary Joe Fleetwood on 021364649

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The Maritime Union of New Zealand has gained international and national support for its stand against management plans to outsource labour at the Ports of Auckland.

Maritime Union Auckland Branch Local 13 President Garry Parsloe says outsourcing and contracting out are regarded by maritime workers around the world as a tool for attacking wages, conditions and job security.

“That is why maritime workers at the Ports of Auckland now have global commitments of solidarity and support for our battle against outsourcing.”

He says last week’s meeting of the International Transport Workers’ Federation in Berlin, Germany, offered its backing to the Maritime Union of New Zealand and its members at Ports of Auckland and passed a resolution of support.

“This is basically the top level of organized labour representing global maritime workers who have lined up behind us, as they are not prepared to allow outsourcing and contracting out be used against workers in a major port such as Auckland.”

The ITF meeting was attended by Mr Parsloe and Maritime Union of New Zealand General Secretary Joe Fleetwood, along with global representatives of dock workers and seafarers including the Maritime Union of Australia and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (North America).

Mr Parsloe is convener of the New Zealand ITF affiliated unions who have also announced their support for the Maritime Union. These unions include MUNZ, the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU), EPMU, National Distribution Union, New Zealand Merchant Service Guild and Aviation and Marine Engineers Association.

In addition the ITF Offshore Taskforce Group representing global offshore oil and gas workers has offered their support.

“The Maritime Union has also secured the backing of the international Mining and Maritime Unions which met last month in the United States of America.”

Mr Parsloe says the national affiliates of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions have pledged their support to the Maritime Union, meaning that the Maritime Union had massive international and nationwide backing.

He says in short the Ports of Auckland management must reconsider their position on outsourcing if they are to avoid major repercussions.

Mr Parsloe says that the current Collective Agreement between Ports of Auckland management and the Maritime Union already has provisions for labour flexibility to meet the peaks and troughs of shipping.

The ITF comprises 751 unions representing over 4,600,000 transport workers in 154 countries.

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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.”
Maritime Union of New Zealand Auckland Local 13 Garry Parsloe says the high turnout at the stopwork meeting reflected the major concerns of workers about contracting out in the port.
Workers were not prepared to see casualization and contracting out used to undermine wages and conditions, he says.
Mr Parsloe says workers felt management had pre-planned the contracting out approach prior to the signing of the Collective Employment Agreement (CEA) in 2009, and their recent comments indicated would hide behind legalities to force the issue.
“Obviously there would have been no agreement if there had been any indication the company were going to go down this path.”
He says any future negotiations will be extremely difficult for the company if they pursued a contracting out strategy.
“Ports of Auckland management seem to have the unhappy knack of finally getting a workable document, finally starting to rebuild a workable relationship, and then kicking the whole thing over and stirring up problems for themselves and the workforce.”
Mr Parsloe says that the current CEA between the Ports of Auckland and the Maritime Union of New Zealand is a flexible document that allows the company to meet the “Peaks and Troughs” of shipping.
He says the reason why the port is not operating at full capacity is because the Company not made proper use of three shift a week guaranteed stevedores, known as Axis Ancillary Employees in the CEA.
“The shortfall in trained stevedores is creating large delays in cargo exchanges and it is now a common sight to see trucks backed up waiting for boxes in the port.”
“Outsourcing has little to do with efficiency and everything to do with casualizing the workforce.”
Mr Parsloe says the financial return to Auckland ratepayers from the Ports of Auckland had been substantial over the past five years, due to the efforts of the workforce at the Ports of Auckland.
He says that “parochial and destructive” competition between ports had resulted in shipping companies being charged unrealistically low rates, and management were now trying to “bleed workers” to make up the shortfall.
“Maritime workers are not going to have their wages and conditions attacked to prop up the profits of global shipping companies.”

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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 National President Phil Adams says the best thing to do would be for Roger Douglas to retire now before causing more harm.

“If he is so worried about younger workers, he could move aside and that would open up a job opportunity for a young worker with relevant ideas who is living in the real world.”

He says that Roger Douglas is pulling down an MPs salary, a parliamentary pension and national super, but he wants young people starting out in life to be trapped in low wages while accommodation, food and education costs skyrocketed.

Mr Adams says unemployment is a result of free market economic policies, and when New Zealand had a highly regulated economy and unionized workforce during the 1950s and 1960s it had high rates of economic growth and extremely low unemployment.

“Ever since we have gone down the Roger Douglas path, things have got worse for workers. Unemployment soared under his policies in the 1980s, it got worse when his ideas were carried on in the 1990s and now we have unemployment peaking again under the National Government once again.”

He says that training costs should be carried by employers, as they profited out of employing skilled workers so they should pay for their training.

Mr Adams says over the last generation, the share of income going to workers has decreased and the share of income going to owner’s profits has increased.

“The answer to boost employment and wages is simple. Lift the minimum wage, keep youth rates, get workers into unions, and make sure workers are getting their share of the wealth they produce.”

Youth rates were abolished in 2007.

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Maritime Union General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says employers and Government agencies appear to be turning a blind eye to unsafe working conditions in New Zealand ports.

He says there have been ongoing feedback from workers that paints a picture of a decline in standards in many ports.

Mr Fleetwood says that the recession and increasing competition for available cargo in New Zealand ports means many employers are cutting corners.

In the past week he had personally spoken to casual and permanent waterfront workers who have told him of increasing concerns around work practices.

There were instances of workers required to work 18 hour days with 6 hour rest periods, and workers are driving heavy cranes for long periods between rest or toilet breaks.

Incidents of serious injury or death already occurred in the industry and it appeared the lives of workers came second to profit levels in some cases.

“These conditions are getting back to a century ago, when workers presented themselves to the wharf and were selected by foremen for a days work.”

Mr Fleetwood says casual workers today would wait at home for a cellphone call for work, which often never came.

Some of the workers were being paid not much higher than the minimum wage and others were exploited by labour hire companies who took a substantial cut of wages for doing very little.

He says workers at the coal face were aware of dangerous work practices, but the consequences of raising safety issues on the job would ensure those who spoke out would be unlikely to gain future employment.

“Casual workers and those workers outside union coverage or in company unions will often not raise these issues as they do not want to be singled out and lose work.”

“The Maritime Union is putting employers on notice that there will be stoppages if health and safety is compromised to gain competitive advantage.”

Mr Fleetwood says the Maritime Union will seek advice on legal action against Government agencies responsible for maritime and waterfront safety, as well as employers, if there was a death or injury on the job due to bad practices.

He recently attended an International Transport Federation dock workers meeting in Mumbai, India, where reports showed this was an international issue, and co-ordinated action between global transport unions was likely.

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The Maritime Union of New Zealand says an agreement it has reached with Port Otago Limited is a “win win” situation that will prevent job losses.

Maritime Union National President Phil Adams says a meeting of 150 cargo handlers held yesterday at Port Chalmers voted in favour of a proposal hammered out by the Unions and the Company.

Members of the Maritime Union of New Zealand and the Rail and Maritime Transport Union attended the meeting.

Mr Adams says the proposal will see no compulsory redundancies amongst the workforce.

“We believe the workforce will respond to the Company’s efforts by continuing to ensure a high level of productivity.”

He says some outstanding issues around the work force structure were also addressed by the Unions.

“This is a mutually acceptable solution for Port Otago and its workforce and we are very happy that after some time a negotiated solution has been put in place.”

A number of voluntary redundancies are occurring at Port Otago.

Mr Adams says he believes that the agreement was a positive step forward for Port Otago, and would lead to a stronger future for this major New Zealand port.

“It is a difficult economic period, but the Port has weathered difficult times before and we are confident we will this time as well.”

Port Otago Limited is owned by the people of Otago through the Otago Regional Council.

ENDS

For more information, contact Maritime Union National President Phil Adams on 0274 377601

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The Maritime Union has upped its industrial and financial support of Telecom lines engineers in their employment dispute.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says a national meeting of Union representatives from ports and ships this morning voted an initial $10,000 to support Telecom lines engineers in their struggle for secure jobs.

Maritime Union members from New Zealand ships and the waterfront joined rallies in Auckland and Wellington this morning alongside the lines engineers and other supporters.

The lines engineers are members of the EPMU.

Hundreds of jobs of Telecom lines engineers are threatened by attempts by Telecom contractor Visionstream to force workers to become “dependent contractors”.

Mr Hanson says this dispute affects all New Zealand workers and maritime workers were very aware of the serious nature of this attack by employers.

He says the Maritime Union is 100% behind the lines engineers.

“If Telecom and Visionstream are allowed to get away with this, it will be open season on all workers. Their actions must be exposed and stopped. Workers need secure jobs.”

Mr Hanson says the Maritime Union is contacting international maritime unions and working with affiliates of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions and the International Transport Workers’ Federation to build support.

He says Telecom imports through ports will come under close scrutiny if they are related to the current dispute and broadband rollout.

The Maritime Union and the EPMU are part of the “Oil and Gas Alliance” which unites workers in the off shore oil and gas industry.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is made up of 681 unions representing 4,500,000 transport workers in 148 countries.

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A combined union meeting at Port Otago today voted to reject new restructuring proposals from Port Otago management.

Around 200 union members attended a stopwork meeting at 1pm which halted work around the port and packed the Union hall in one of the largest meetings of recent years.

The workers are members of the Maritime Union of New Zealand and the Rail and Maritime Transport Union, who have a collective employment agreement with the port company. The port is one of the most highly unionized workforces in the south.

Maritime Union National President Phil Adams says workers at the port rejected a proposal to set up new divisions in the workforce.

“The proposals we have seen will either reduce our conditions of employment and health and safety, or lead to redundancies, and our members will not accept these outcomes.”

He says the workers are asking the company to adhere to the agreement which does not expire to July 2010.

Mr Adams says Port Otago is a major local public enterprise that is owned by the people of Otago through the Otago Regional Council.

“This is a company that has made consistently good returns to the shareholder, but there appears to be a new aggressive attitude amongst management which has nearly destroyed a previously good working relationship.”

Mr Adams says the port has had virtually no industrial action over the last decade with management accepting the Union’s role in the port, but this was now changing and could lead into a era of conflict.

He says that he believes there are other agendas behind the restructuring as the workforce at Port Chalmers had exceeded productivity targets and was very efficient.

Port Chalmers is a major port for exports of dairy and other primary products.

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The Otago Daily Times reports on possible industrial action by the Maritime Union at Port of Otago here.

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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.

He says the scheme is condemning working class young people to a dead end future.

“The fact is that for most people, working in these jobs is not a career path, it is a low-wage, casualized trap.”

He says he is interested how many children of National Party MP’s are being sent off to develop their careers as burger makers.

Mr Hanson says that claims that such “McJobs” will provide a career path are similar to the burgers.

“They always look good in the ads but when you eat them they never live up to the promises.”

Mr Hanson says that thousands of skilled jobs in manufacturing are being demolished, and freezes in funding for polytech places will keep young people out of training.

He says young New Zealanders should have the opportunity to work in areas like the maritime industry or the fishing industry for decent wages.

“Yet what we see is underpaid and often exploited overseas crews working in New Zealand waters while local people are shovelled towards the dole or the chip fryer.”

Mr Hanson says the current scenario is that New Zealand is going to have a massive low-wage sector that would breed enormous social divisions and problems.

He says secure, wellpaid jobs have long been under attack in New Zealand, as profits ballooned but workers saw their incomes shrink.

“Under the current Government we are only seeing two areas of employment growth, prison staff and fast food, if this is a success I’d like to see what a failure looks like.”

Mr Hanson says the toll of casual jobs, multiple jobs, irregular hours and shift work in a “24 hour society” was causing massive social inequality and disruption to family and community life, leading to stress, health issues, crime and family breakdown.

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