Maritime Union of New Zealand

The ports of Auckland in New Zealand could be declared the first ever port of convenience if management does not put a stop to its savage attack on union rights, the ITF has warned.

Workers represented by the ITF-affiliated Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) have been locked in an escalating dispute over a new collective bargaining agreement.

The MUNZ and Ports of Auckland Limited (POAL) had been close to signing a new agreement, which saw the union agreeing to greater use of a productivity improvement process known as TRACC.

However, it has recently been reported that POAL management is now taking the provocative step of attempting to remove the collective bargaining agreement with MUNZ altogether.

It is also threatening the whole workforce of some 300 dockers with dismissal if they do not sign up to an agreement imposed by management.

In a letter to Tony Gibson, chief executive officer of POAL, ITF president Paddy Crumlin and ITF general secretary David Cockroft said: “The ITF considers this behaviour as an outrageous attack on basic trade union rights. If this attempt to force workers to abandon their existing agreements continues, the ITF will declare the port of Auckland a ‘port of convenience’ and will request affiliates around the world , particularly in the dockers’ and seafarers’ sections, to take immediate lawful action.”

The Maritime Union says that action must be taken to protect both local jobs and overseas workers in New Zealand industries after recent comments from Opposition immigration spokesperson Lockwood Smith about overseas workers caused an uproar.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says a progressive downward pressure on wages, conditions and local jobs is spreading throughout large areas of the New Zealand economy, including the horticulture and viticulture sector.

“We are very aware of this problem in the fishing industry and with flag of convenience shipping, and also with attempts to displace waterfront labour.”

He says the use of cross-border, short-term labour sourced from ultra-low wage economies is a major threat to workers in New Zealand and around the world.

“This system is being used by employers and Governments around the world as part of free trade to generate profits regardless of the effect on workers and society.”

Mr Hanson says the recent comments by National Party immigration spokesperson Lockwood Smith about overseas workers in the horticulture and viticulture industry showed a disturbing attitude.

“There is no doubt that there is a divide and rule approach by employers which will be promoted by the National Party, who obviously see these overseas workers as production units who are not entitled to either dignity or good treatment.”

Mr Hanson says employment agreements for overseas workers need to be prepared and signed before they come to New Zealand.

“Any employer who requires imported labour should be required to allow inspection of accommodation and conditions, agree to a 30-hour minimum payment and offer pay above minimum rates to skilled workers, prior to approval to bring workers in.”

Unions should be directly involved from the start of any application to ensure that these workers are provided with rights and protections.

Mr Hanson says the same system should apply to the fishing industry.

“Over the last generation, a huge numbers of foreign workers having been employed in New Zealand waters with the promises of training being dismissed by some New Zealand fishing companies.”

“There needs to be regulations that provide young New Zealand workers with training and a pathway to a career in fishing.”

Mr Hanson says there is a definite need to examine the financial returns producers are receiving and measure this against workers terms and conditions of work in the industry.

He says the massive rise in food prices in the last year, especially with fresh produce, was not reflected in the wages and conditions of workers in the industry.

“It is a travesty that in a food producing country like New Zealand, workers cannot afford to buy fresh food.”

“We are of no doubt that the payment of a living wage would bring New Zealand workers into the industry, and still leave room for Pacific Island workers. The Government needs to take a firmer line on conditions and wages paid to these workers.”

The Maritime Union of New Zealand has warned against the takeover of New Zealand ports after shipping giant COSCO announced its interest in buying into New Zealand ports this week.

The Chinese state owned multinational corporation COSCO is one of the world’s largest shipping lines.

Maritime Union spokesperson Victor Billot says the Union is opposed to handing control of ports over to global operators.

Mr Billot says that the takeover of New Zealand ports by global operators will lead to “ports of convenience”.

He says there is ongoing pressure for privatization, attacks on Unions and casualization, in “ports of convenience” around the world that are dominated by global operators.

Mr Billot says the Union is very concerned by trends overseas under free trade agreements for employers to bring in short-term, casual labour across borders.

“This process is one where multinational employers use workers against workers to attack wages and conditions.”

Mr Billot says problems were already present in “flag of convenience”, and some national flagged, shipping and fishing operations in New Zealand waters.

He says that Chinese state corporations have publicly stated in Australia they are interested in controlling the entire logistics chain from mines to rail to port to shipping, including the supply of labour for such operations.

Mr Billot says any rationalization of New Zealand ports must be planned and done in the interests of New Zealand.

“The takeover of an individual port by a shipping multinational could destabilize the entire industry and result in port rationalization being driven by mindless competition and market monopoly rather than a planned approach to benefit New Zealand.”

He says New Zealand as a trading nation should maintain control of its own maritime transport operations as far as practical.

New Zealand ports were largely owned by local government and returned profits to local communities rather than to overseas shareholders.

Problems with parochialism and duplication of infrastructure must be dealt with by a Government-led national ports plan, not sell offs which would create more chaos and instability in the industry.

The Maritime Union supported the Keep Our Port Public campaign in 2006 when global operator Hutchinson failed to gain a controlling stake in Ports of Lyttelton.

The 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.”

He says the international shipping industry already suffers from similar problems which has led to a collapse in wages, conditions and health and safety standards.

“Workers are used as pawns against each other in a race to the bottom by global-scale employers.”

Mr Hanson says the Maritime Union has made in clear that if any attempts are made to attack wages and conditions through free trade deals, it will lead to national industrial action.