Maritime Union of New Zealand

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.

The Maritime Union has welcomed the announcement by Minister of Immigration David Cunliffe that the current system regulating overseas crews in the fishing industry will be overhauled.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says official recognition that crews are being underpaid and exploited is an important first step.

Mr Hanson says he agrees with the Government the seafood industry is important for New Zealand, but this does not translate into allowing employers to do whatever they want.

“The Maritime Union view is that local labour shortages have been created by rockbottom wages being offered that are not acceptable to New Zealand workers.”

Mr Hanson says that it is not acceptable that overseas fishing crews are only being paid the minimum wage as this has knocked the bottom out of industry wage rates, which is one obvious explanation for the so-called shortage of New Zealand workers.

“This is a dirty, hard and dangerous job, and there should be an industry standard rate of at least $15 per hour.”

This would mean a drop off in shipjumping, injuries and deaths, and money problems for crews, and would solve the labour shortage problem, he says.

“The problem is not a labour shortage but a shortage of good wages for workers.”

Mr Hanson says the Maritime Union will be providing a perspective and voice of workers to the Department of Labour in its 2006 review process.