Media Releases 2005

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.

The Maritime Union says the arrest of shipjumpers in Nelson is not solving the cause of the problem.

Six Vietnamese shipjumpers were arrested on Tuesday night in Nelson.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says action is needed to ensure that crew members are being employed under decent conditions.

The Maritime Union says the shipjumping of eight Indonesians in Wellington from the fishing vessel 'San Liberatore' was entirely predictable as the ship had a history of problems.

The Maritime Union of New Zealand has paid its respects to Green Party co-leader Rod Donald, who died in the weekend.

Maritime Union of New Zealand General Secretary Trevor Hanson says he has offered the condolences of maritime workers to Mr Donald's family and his political family, the Green Party.

The Maritime Union of New Zealand says it will support the Maritime Union of Australia and the Australian union movement in their fight to protect the rights of workers.

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.

The Maritime Union says the Department of Labour's stance on two Vietnamese fishermen who have jumped ship in Nelson is unacceptable.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the Department of Labour has stated in the media it will not act until formally notified by the fishing vessel charterers that crew members are missing.

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) says that crew abuse aboard the fishing vessel 'Sky 75' is an example of what a Government report has described as "little more than sweatshop
conditions" aboard foreign fishing vessels.

The ten Indonesian fishermen who jumped ship in Nelson on Wednesday 14 September 2005 were being treated "worse than slaves", according to International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) co-ordinator Kathy Whelan.

The Maritime Union says a return to 1990s style anti-worker policies under a National Government would almost certainly mean more deaths and serious injuries in the maritime industry.