Maritime Union of New Zealand

The two main waterfront unions have condemned a proposal to slash 12 jobs at Port Otago.

Both the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) and the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) were united in their criticism of the plan.

‘At a time when Port Otago has just delivered a record $12.5 million dividend to its owner Otago Regional Council, it beggars belief that the Port wants to slash jobs,’ said RMTU National Secretary Wayne Butson.

‘Management say they are expecting a decline in container numbers as the Port is no longer the trans-shipment hub for shipping  Maersk, but they remain upbeat about the future, saying they are confident about the success of the Port,’ said Mr Butson.

‘That a publicly owned company can consider throwing people out of work in these circumstances is completely unacceptable, those workers created the wealth that was paid out to Otago Regional Council as a dividend and this is the thanks they get,’ he said.

Maritime Union of New Zealand General Secretary Joe Fleetwood said the Port Otago plan is flawed as with growing trade was occurring in some areas of the business.

‘A few months down the track, the company may have to go to all the trouble of employing new skilled staff after letting their current staff go.’

Mr Fleetwood said the port company has to accept that peaks and troughs in shipping was a part of the industry, and to stop using workers as pawns in a situation where the workforce was productive and the company was performing well.

Mr Butson said it had been a bad enough year for Dunedin with 44 jobs being cut at Hillside in July, now more families faced an uncertain future while the Regional Council pocketed a record dividend.

‘The Combined Unions will be doing everything we can to try and turn this proposal around. Unemployment is rising nationally and this region is suffering disproportionally. It seems that both the National led Government and the Regional Council don’t care about workers, their families and the wider community when it comes to jobs,’ he said.

‘We have a couple of weeks to mobilise to fight these cuts before the decision is final. We’ll be holding a joint meeting of our members next week to decide on how we’ll do that,’ he said.

The Maritime Union of New Zealand says the decision by KiwiRail to offshore production of rail wagons is an indictment on the National Government and KiwiRail management.

KiwiRail has announced a $29 million tender for 300 rail wagons has gone to China CNR Corporation.

Maritime Union General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says maritime workers had supported the campaign by the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) to build New Zealand rolling stock in New Zealand workshops.

He says the idea that the move to offshore production would “save money” was idiotic.

“Any money saved by the public enterprise KiwiRail going for the cheap labour option in China will be required to pay for unemployment benefits, for our increased overseas debt, and for the loss of taxes and loss of spin off benefits for the local economy in New Zealand.”

“This decision will lead to loss of job opportunities, and is another blow to New Zealand’s ability to undertake high skill industrial production.”

Mr Fleetwood says that the Government bears responsibility and should front up to affected workers and communities.

“They change laws to suit Hollywood movie moguls and sink vast amounts of money into trendy sectors, but will not back New Zealand workers and the future of New Zealand industry.”

Mr Fleetwood says the message is clear for workers.

“The John Key Government is prepared to wind down New Zealand’s infrastructure and industrial capability in vital areas. There is no leadership in shipping or ports, and now no leadership in rail.”

“They call themselves a National Government, but they are governing in the interests of overseas business, not New Zealand’s national interest.”

Mr Fleetwood says that New Zealand’s entrapment in free trade agreements would further limit our ability for local industry and reduce New Zealand to an economic colony.

The Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) is backing calls by the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) for the Government to step in to ensure new rail rolling stock for Auckland is made in New Zealand.

Maritime Union General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says the news of the failure of public owned KiwiRail to bid for the contract to build the electric units reflects badly on the Government.

“The decision by Kiwirail not to bid for the job shows a failure of leadership, at both the corporate level and at the Government level.”

Mr Fleetwood says the National Prime Minister John Key has recently claimed that unemployed workers need a “kick in the pants.”

“But since National came to office, tens of thousands of New Zealanders have lost their jobs, and now it appears National have sabotaged hundreds more high quality jobs for workers in a recession by failing to provide leadership and giving away work that can be done in New Zealand.”

Mr Fleetwood says that New Zealanders must continue to put pressure on the Government to deliver jobs and industry to New Zealand.

He says a study by economics consultancy BERL estimated last week that local construction of the electric units would add between 770 to 1270 additional jobs and $232 to $250 million to GDP.

The Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) and Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) recently formed a Strategic Union Alliance in the transport industry.

Two of New Zealand’s main transport unions have formed a strategic alliance focussed on the New Zealand waterfront.

National officials of the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) and the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) this week signed an Alliance Charter in Wellington.

The key goal of the charter is to grow unionism and collectivity amongst Port and Waterfront workers through joint action and initiatives.

The charter is based around communication, information sharing, joint campaigning, a political strategy and a national organizing strategy.

Both unions are affiliates of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, the International Transport Workers Federation, and the Trans Tasman Transport Union Alliance.

Maritime Union General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says the Alliance Charter is focussed on getting all port and waterfront workers in New Zealand into genuine unions and building terms and conditions on the waterfront.

Rail and Maritime Transport Union General Secretary Wayne Butson says that joint projects between the two unions have already been discussed which will enhance the power and influence of organized labour on the New Zealand waterfront.

He says the strategic alliance will have a major impact on the transport and logistics sector within New Zealand and internationally.

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

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.

Rail and Maritime Transport Union General Secretary Wayne Butson confirmed his Union had a united stance with MUNZ on the issue.

There were concerns that the Port Company was attempting to play off the unions against each other.

He says the issue is about port employers maintaining skilled staff at their port, an issue that both unions have the same position on.

“Any prudent port employer knows they must provide for volume variability of tonnage. Having an adequate supply of suitably qualified staff so that these situations don’t arise is Management 101.”