THE MARITIME WORKER Wellington Branch Wellington Branch Newsletter Vol: 9 February (2020)
A GREAT FIGHT & A GREAT FINAL RESULT FOR MEMBERS
VICTORY ON THE FERRIES InterIslander ferries MUNZmembers fought for and won improved wages and conditions after a ten month battle with Kiwirail InterIslander management. We stood shoulder to shoulder. Power to all union members on board!The Wellington Branch negotiating teamwould like to thank all our members right across the KR-IIL fleet for their commitment. You fought for what you believed in. This certainly put KR-IIL on edge and gave themsomething to think about. By sticking together, staying determined and being prepared to take action if required, we won the vast majority of our claims. Well done, Wellington Branch members! Mick Williams, Wgtn Branch President The Wellington Maritime Worker Published Regularly
wish to disclose the name of the company she represented. She was not too forthcoming with any additional information to him.
Jim King Secretary/Treasurer Wellington Branch
Wellington Secretary/Treasurer’s Report KiwiRail Wage Rounds The members across the fleet accepted the terms of Settlement back on December 16th 2020, therefore strike action was not required. I will initiate bargaining again with KR-IILon or about August 1st 2021. Core Crewing I have spoken with Andrew Norton, KiwiRail’s General Manager for Human Resources. I told himMUNZcalls on KR-IILto employ the casual Catering Attendants on a permanent basis without delay, as Interislander are not acting in good faith with our union, and especially with the people they employ. I also told Andrew that KR-IILhave been employing these people on casual contracts, then after about six months they immediately transfer the Caterers to a fixed termcontract for another five to six months, and when that fixed termexpires they re-employ some of the caterers back on casual contracts. This means the employee can end up working 16 months continuous service without any annual leave etc. These members also miss out on other benefits they are entitled to. These include the right to apply to become a member of the New Zealand Railways Welfare Trust, Staff Travel and the Clothing Allowance in the MUNZCollective Employment Agreement. KR-IILare under the illusion that these benefits are only available to permanent employees or fixed termcontracts. They are wrong. These benefits are accessible to all MUNZmembers after continuous service of either one year for Welfare, or nine months for the clothing allowance. Not bad for a government department when it comes to their contractual obligations to their much valued staff (the family, or so we’re told). New Tonnage Liberian Registration –New Plymouth Sydney-based lawyer Anne McEnaney rang me to enquire about seafarer medical insurance and compensation pay for seafarers. I asked her to supply me with more details, such as where the seafarers are from, where the vessel will be operating out of and the registration. The only information she would disclose was that the vessel will be working out of New Plymouth, it’s Liberian registered and there were six New Zealand crew members employed. Her only question to me was whether seafarers are covered by any medical scheme in NZif they injure themselves while working on this vessel. I advised her on the face of it they probably are, but she would be best to speak with the ITFInspectorate Grahame McLaren. An hour or so later, Grahame rang me and spoke about the phone call he had fromthis lawyer. He found it odd this person did not
The only information I have been able to source is this. The vessel in question, “Southern Explorer”, was previously owned and operated by a company called Broadsword Marine in Australia. They were an inshore operator, primarily working on smaller boats until Skilled Offshore bought themout for something like $72 million.. The business mostly deals with survey vessels and they have sought to engage family members and close friends to run the operations. Because of this, the MUAhaven’t been able to get themsigned up to a Union Collective. Update I have been able to make contact with a manager who used to work for this company, and he’s not too forthcoming with additional information other than what we already know. In the meantime, I’mstill trying to obtain additional material about this company. I’ll keep you posted.
Offshore Kingston Offshore Kingston have requested IRs and cooks for a contract in mid-February, on the vessel Vision. I have submitted the first and second set of names. MIBEand BWOffshore have finally come to an arrangement to disconnect the FPSOUmuroa, tenders are out in the market place and no award yet. They anticipate a March/April disconnect, and it will be a short phase given MIBEdo not intend to pick up the subsea infrastructure until a much later date. Basically it will be a flowline flush, drop to sea bed, chains, flowlines and tow out the FPSOto Batam. The marine spread to achieve this will be a three-vessel operation. OMVwill undertake some geotechnical and geophysical surveys in preparation for a large jack-up drilling rig. They are focussed on mobilising this rig to NZin the last quarter of 2021 for a multi-well program. The geo work will be undertaken at this time due to better weather conditions. COVIDremains a huge issue for the oil and gas industry. It has become harder to bring in a foreign ship and they now have to apply to the Ministry of Health for an exemption to even contemplate doing so. This involves very detailed plans, information on management, a final approval by a government department and a government that doesn’t support oil and gas activity. Interesting times! However it appears some activity is coming up soon, so I would really appreciate it if you all ensure that you update your details. Atlas Programmed I have been in touch with David Bishop GM, and he’s advised me about up-and-coming work (probably February – March 2021) for the disconnect of the Umuroa. There will be three other supporting vessels that will assist with the undertaking. Fromthe pickup of crew to the completion of the campaign, it is expected to take around six to eight weeks, including MIQtime. I expect a similar time frame for the towing crew on the Umuroa. Swire’s As you aware in a previous issue of the Maritime Worker, Swire’s have taken an unreasonable stance and don’t want to reimburse our members for training course costs when members are required to update STCW certificates. I amin the process of compiling evidence to give to our lawyer, Peter Cranney, to lodge proceedings in the courts.
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This is an issue that should have been dealt with many years ago when it was raised with the Wellington Branch, but nothing was ever done. We need closure, hence the need to get a ruling on clause 25 Of the MPCA. NIWA Terms of Settlement sent out to members and 2020 wage rounds complete.
General in brief
Why don’t seafarers simply pay for themselves to be trained? The simple answer is they cannot afford it, because they’re unemployed. Job opportunities for seafarers are limited particularly in the New Zealand offshore industry by an overreliance and expectation fromemployers that unemployed seafarers are readily available trained and certified for employment, this is a hurdle which makes it very difficult for seafarers to be given the offer of employment. The solution
Letter to the Ministers Hipkins, Nash and Wood Aletter was sent to the Ministers regarding the way our Labour Government has allowed foreign seafarers to be employed on the New Zealand coast, while our unemployed New Zealand seafarers remain at home waiting for work. I have relayed to the Ministers that this situation is a disgrace and they should be ashamed of themselves, and that MUNZdid not campaign and donate funds to elect a Labour government that allows this to happen. Also still waiting for a written response fromthe Ministers about the Pacific Maritime Safety Program. Pacific Maritime Safety program The following is a letter emailed to the relevant ministers. I have emailed this twice, still awaiting a response. Sent: Thursday, 03 December 2020 Dear Ministers, Pacific Maritime Safety Program& Local Seafarer Training New Zealand is an island nation that depends on both international and coastal shipping to survive. In the wake of sustained neglect and shortsighted overreliance on cheap foreign labour, the shipping industry faces a recruitment and training crisis. New Zealand’s economic security depends on our ability to right the course and solve these problems. The problem Shipping companies and maritime recruitment agencies, with assistance fromthe Maritime Union of New Zealand, struggle to recruit appropriately qualified New Zealand seafarers for employment on most vessels that work the New Zealand coast. With the Exception of KiwiRail and Blue Bridge (the industry leaders for seafarer training), most New Zealand shipping companies oppose offering training to our country’s unemployed seafarers. This is because of the cost. An employer may require a casual seafarer for one or two days, sometimes 28 days and in rare cases a longer period. For shipping companies, it can cost thousands of dollars to train and engage a casual seafarer for such short-termservices. Even after a particular shipping company and recruitment agency invests the time and resources into training a casual seafarer, there’s every likelihood a rival company will then utilise their services and newly acquired skills when the opportunity arises. Maritime employers hesitate to, in effect, subsidise professional development for competitor’s staff. To work on the New Zealand coast, seafarers must sign up to short courses that provide themwith ancillary certificates for Standards of Training and Certification for Watchkeeping (STCW). The STCWis the internationally recognised minimumqualification required to work on any NZregistered vessel or vessels under charter and working in New Zealand. For seafarers to work for New Zealand shipping companies and manning agents, their STCWancillary certificates must be current and updated.
Now that the Labour government is re-elected, you now have the opportunity to take actions that benefit the New Zealand economy and support our coastal communities. You don’t find shipping companies, recruitment agencies and unions in agreement with each other every day, but we all know how urgent and important it is that employment training assistance is provided for our unemployed seafarers. We need government training subsidies that incentivise employers to take on staff and train seafarers. If more steps are not taken in this area, New Zealand will be forced to call on our neighbours across the Tasman again if we want qualified seafarers to work in our offshore industries and in freight transport along our coast. If the government does nothing, we risk sitting back and watching deck and engine roomseafarers disappearing fromthe New Zealand maritime industry forever. This is a skilled and specialised essential workforce. With training, it becomes a rewarding career for both women and men of widely varied backgrounds, but you can’t head out to sea without rigorous safety checks on both the vessel and its crew. Everyone and everything involved must be up to standard, or tragic situations like the loss of the Gulf Livestock 1 become more likely. Seafarers are part of the first response teamin national emergencies like earthquakes or tsunamis. As global supply chains become ever more fragile and volatile in a time of global pandemic and international political tension, we must be able to rely on a dedicated local workforce with the skills and qualifications to ensure our communities receive the goods and services they need. The only way we can truly be confident this will take place, and that it will do so in accordance with New Zealand’s rules and regulations, is by helping Kiwi seafarers get qualified and get working. Local and international standards Is the New Zealand government still funding the Pacific Maritime Safety Program(PMSP)? Aportion of the funding for the PMSPis earmarked to “support for education and training of seafarers” to ensure they reach international standards”. If the government continues to fund the Pacific Maritime Safety Program(in part to support seafarer education and certification), will the government also commit to fund or otherwise incentivise New Zealand’s maritime employers to provide training and certification that ensures our own seafarers reach international standards. The Maritime Union believes in solidarity, and we believe that extends beyond our borders. We are happy to see MFATand Maritime NZ help seafarers fromneighbouring Pacific nations get the training and qualifications they need to safely work in our shared professions. All we want is the same support given to New Zealand’s own seafarers. Our taxes help MFATand MNZprovide support to seafarers abroad, so it’s not unreasonable to expect - at minimum- the same support here at home. The following motion was passed by our union.
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The Maritime Union of NewZealand (Wellington Branch Executive and its members) calls on the Labour Government to have constructive dialogue with this union, shipping companies, and maritime recruitment agencies to start looking at possibilities to incentivise employers (government training subsidies etc..) and/or to have government training programs/payments for our unemployed seafarers. Wellington Branch Stop Work Meetings The next Stop Work meeting is set down for Monday 8th March 2021. It will take place at the MUNZNational Office, 220 Willis St, at 10amon the seventh floor. We will hold probably the next two or three meetings here as Education House has been sold, and the teacher’s union have now moved to Boulcott Street. Once they have settled in, they will advise us if there is a roomavailable for us to use. We’ll keep you posted. The Maritime Worker Newsletter Please keep your emails, articles and pictures rolling in as they will be published in the next edition of the Wellington Maritime Worker 2021.
nine unemployed non-paying members or non-union members to ask if they were interested in doing some casual work on the ferries. I asked themto respond to me ASAP, and only got one reply. In the KR-IIL– MUNZCollective Agreement, this union is considered to be a source of labour. The idea is that KiwiRail can call on us at any time to supply them with ABs, Cooks etc. On this occasion, only one person has taken up the union’s offer of work. I expect that when I offer the same people casual work when the offshore picks up next year, we’ll no doubt be heading to the MUAagain because we have no one available for any work at all. Very disappointing. Database Continued The numbers: IRs 11 &ABs – 8 Cooks – 8 Stewards – 12
Database
Wage rounds currently in progress
Extremely disappointed with the ABs and IRs on the database. I emailed
KiwiRail Interislander (Settled)
Tony Mowbray #1154 Vice President Wellington Branch
Well done KiwiRail members After the recent conclusion of the wage round, the Branch executive and wage round committee wish to express our pleasure for the way the membership collectively stuck together and conducted themselves. Members achieved an outcome that put an end to difficult negotiations. Face to face meetings ceased for a few months, but work at our level continued so we were ready when talks resumed. We had a clear mandate. 98.5%voted to issue strike notices if talks failed to reach satisfactory outcomes on the two main points. These were the same percentage increase as the other two unions, and the service allowance.
As we expected, the company offered next to nothing which is where the solidarity of the members came in. I’msure issuing strike notices was quite daunting to many who had never experienced any formof industrial action, so hopefully this proves what can be achieved by standing together. Our unity definitely got the company’s attention and dispelled the “happy” notion the company likes to believe is the normon the vessels. With all claims back on the table, an urgent meeting took place with top level K/Rmanagement. Atotal of 3%was reached and also, for this pay round, we finally won recognition of the service allowance. All are picking up the first year figure, including ‘casual’ employees - this is a first. The service allowance can be worked on and improved over time. With most of our other claims also secured, it makes the total package beneficial to members. We should also highlight that nothing at all was given away. Younger and newer members have received a first hand education in what can be achieved when the workers stick together. It is ALLOFYOUthat achieved this result. Let us continue the principled approach on which our mighty union was founded. Well done.
crewing and the Picton based Cabin Attendants KR-IILhave recently employed. KR-IILwas advised by our Branch Secretary JimKing not to go ahead with Picton recruitment. KR-IILHRwere emailed on 26 Nov 2020.
Fiona Mansell Wellington Women’s Rep National Women’s Rep
This union gives advice based on our knowledge as seafarers. For this company to ignore our advice and keeping everyone, including CSMs/ ACSMs/CLs out of the process is an absolute disgrace! The company has created these problems we must explain to members:
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Start/finish times 1230am-1230pm. Peak summer timetable has changed to joining at midday and getting off on the night sailing back to Picton.
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Familiarisation on nights. The new LOBCLwas expected to famil on his first week on nights.
Core Crewing &Other Problems Abridged version of letter sent to KiwiRail’s senior management. I would like to bring several concerns to your attention regarding core
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Overtime due to thembeing onboard for 12hrs as WoWo (their first few days on board).
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Time off due to fatigue and no one available to famil them during the day (in their first cycle on).
IILemployed a large group of Casuals all through 2020, and they had a REGULARWORKPATTERN/CONTINUOUSSERVICE. KR-IIl have not offered thempermanent positions in OBS.
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Organising the crew to LOBduring their cycle of familing only, and changing their hours to make it more suitable for themto famil and maintain the information.
The only vacancy in OBSthat has been filled is the CSMrole, and IIL employed fromoutside the company even though others relieved in this position for almost a year.
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Unsuitable roster patterns.
This nonsense must stop! KR-IILmust take responsibility for issues caused by the lack of permanent recruitment. These Casuals/FTs must be treated with fairness and given their rightful entitlements according to our CEAand the Holidays Act. We need proper recruitment that fills permanent vacant positions, just like you do with the Head Office vacancies.
I was asked by the crew to assist with this mess so, I advocated for a more suitable work pattern with time off in between famil and rostered shifts. At least two crew are extremely disappointed with the situation. One suggested he can move to Wellington to make the process easier, but he was told no we need you to join in Picton. This has never been done before, so we can only assume KR-IILare struggling to recruit out of Wellington. Core Crewing has been raised repeatedly in recent years. I attended a two day mapping workshop to prove our vessels are depleted of crew in OBS. Nothing useful came out of that. I have sat in meetings about this subject, written to HRabout it and still KR-IILdo nothing to fill permanent vacancies. In the summer season of 2019-2020, KR-IILgave all our FTsummer crew (roughly 64 people) casual contracts, then used themall through lockdown and the rest of the year. The company then offered themfixed termcontracts again, which is what they are currently on. (FT-CAS-FT). One Cabin attendant is on her sixth contract (FT-CAS-LOB-FT-CAS-FT), another is on their fourth contract (FT-FT-CAS-FT), both over two years plus. Most have worked a REGULARROSTERPATTERNand CONTINUOUS SERVICE throughout 2020 as either a WOWO/LOBon a Casual/FTcontract, or a mixture of both. The closest we came to progress was when 8 LOBdomestic positions were authorised for recruitment. However, these positions (which are permanent vacancies) went fromFTto a possibility of Permanent, to now being FT. I attended another meeting about the company’s plans for our members (reverting LOBCA’s back to WOWOCAs on Kaiarahi). This mess was created back in 2017-2018 on the Kaiarahi and the Wgtn MUNZExecutive and all members are dissatisfied with the situation. Another problemwith our Casual/FTcrew is that they have had a regular/ continuous roster pattern. The company refuses to acknowledge they have been denied any entitlements fromour Collective Agreement. IIL’s definition of a Casual is not only different to ours, but also that of Employment NZand MYOB. Both Jimmy and I have raised this with IILHR. We have not been given a reasonable answer in a reasonable time frame as to
why these Casuals are denied entitlements.
As these vacancies have accumulated, so has our Casual Pool. IIL’s unfair lack of recruitment in OBSis a disgrace, and as a result KR-IILstruggle to recruit Cabin Attendants and Cooks. The resignation rate has also increased, and if this continues permanent vacancies will grow. Increasing sick leave is a problem, and resentment is mounting towards KR-IIL. Productivity and crew morale is way down, the lowest I have experienced in my decade of service. Customer complaints go up, outlets close due to lack of crew to open them(sometimes throughout the whole sailing), so money is lost. Recalls have increased. Fatigue and stress is common due to excessive hours and shifts. Crew miss out on breaks. In other cases, there is no DUTYOFCAREfor members working excessively. The latest incident on board the Kaiarahi saw three MUNZmembers assaulted, and one didn’t want to take time off (after he was punched in the face) because he was worried about lack of crew. KRs One winning teamand Straight and True values do not exist with us, because we truly feel we are on the losing team. We get different excuses fromdifferent people, and the lack of responses and actions fromIIL means crew want to leave or call in sick. The rostering teamtry their best but can’t solve serious issues with limited resources. The company should meet with the MUNZBranch Executive ASAP. We have signed off on the terms of settlement, part of which is a High Performance High Engagement relationship. We are not off to a good start with HPHEat all, and unless KR-IILcan acknowledge the crewing problems we have and put some permanent resources in place, the problems will get worse. We all know 2020 was challenging. As a company and a union we need to work together in good faith to improve working conditions. I sincerely hope these concerns are taken on board and actions are taken, not just lip service. Our union will no longer be ignored because I write this on behalf of ALLour MUNZmembers across the fleet.
The cruise ship passengers wanted beer and spirits to be served on the ships, however back then America was in a time of prohibition. Prohibition was introduced in the United States in 1920. Anationwide ban of alcohol meant there was to be no production, importation or transportation of beers or spirits. This ban remained in place until 1933.
Ben Carey AB
Because the cruise ships ran the USflag, according to international maritime law, this meant they were governed by United States law no matter where their ships sailed in the world.
Our Coast, Our Ships In the mid 1920s, two American cruise ship companies were faced with a difficult task.
Public backlash fromcruise passengers resulted in reduced bookings, and something had to be done. The cruise companies did what they thought was
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best for business, and looked offshore to register their ships under another nation’s flag. The term‘flags of convenience’ was born.
We had our own coastal shipping routes with New Zealand vessels (crewed and manned by New Zealand unions) delivering cargo to all our ports.
If you visit any port in New Zealand you will see a ship’s name on the vessels stern, and where the vessel is registered.
The beauty thing about this was that tax paid by the ship owners and their crews went directly into our own economy, and our own maritime authorities directly controlled and oversaw the crewing and manning requirements, annual ship surveys and inspections. They made sure our vessels were in a safe condition to sail.
In the attached picture you will see the ship’s name is the Rena, and it’s port of registry is Monrovia. “Flags of convenience” are an unbelievably good deal for the ship owners and crewing agencies. If you flag your ship out you can register your ship to any nation you please, despite not being a citizen of that country.
Once our coastal shipping industry was deregulated in the early 1990s, all of this flew out the door. New Zealand companies were bought out by offshore companies in the years that followed, losing their own head offices and their own industry (and of course their own jobs) to a cheaper foreign workforce.
It can be done very easily over the phone or by email for a couple of thousand dollars, with some ships processed and registered in 24 hours.
Just look at what happened to Seatow New Zealand, where a lot of our union members plied their trade both on the New Zealand coast and overseas.
By re-flagging a ship to another nation, ship owners can skip their own country’s labour laws and minimumwage requirements, and flout immigration laws to the best of their advantage.
It was bought out by Hong Kong based company Pacific Basin in 2007 and renamed Pacific Basin Seatow in 2008. In early to mid 2013, both Australian and New Zealand union members were replaced by an Indonesian workforce under another nation’s flag - with crew changes moved from Western Australia to Indonesia.
These crew, mainly of Filipino or Indonesian descent, can be chosen fromanywhere in the world. In some instances the international shipping companies pay no income tax to their home nation (where their own offices are actually located), siphoning off millions and millions of tax dollars yearly. This is why you see a lot of flagged vessels are registered in the Caribbean; because they are renowned tax havens such as the Bahamas. Another example is the cruise ship industry, and New Zealanders definitely love to go on cruises. The Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Cruises both have their head offices in Florida, however their ships are registered in Panama, where international shipping companies pay no corporate income tax. This is part of why in New Zealand we have foreign container ships, tankers, and cruise liners operating and delivering cargo all around the New Zealand coast, docking in our own ports, fully crewed with foreign nationals (Chinese, Filipino, Indonesian, Polish etc) and absolutely no New Zealand mariners or crew members. If you don’t know what I mean, take a look at the Rena disaster which happened off Motiti Island in the Bay of Plenty in 2011. The Rena was a container ship which ran aground on the Astrolabe reef, causing New Zealand’s worst environmental marine disaster. It was owned by Greek shipping company Costamare Incorporated, chartered and leased out to the Mediterranean Shipping Company. It was flagged and registered in Monrovia, the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. It had a crew of 25, mostly of Filipino descent. There is no doubt foreign ship owners and their shareholders are getting one very sweet deal. Many companies fly the flag of convenience knowing all too well that the third world registries have no direct involvement, and do not meaningfully enforce their own maritime laws. If we have another Rena disaster in the future, who is responsible for what? In New Zealand today, there are only three or four smaller coastal vessels left operating on our own coast. But we used to have our own merchant shipping company; the Union Steamship Company. Here we flew the New Zealand flag, with New Zealand ships crewed fully with union labour, traveling to overseas destinations such as the Pacific Islands, Australia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, and even parts of Europe.
With the arrival of Covid-19, the global shipping industry has been caught out like possums in the headlights. The public have increasingly begun to question this situation. Why do you think the cruise line and global shipping industries have experienced the logistical trials and tribulations of trying to get their crews and passengers home, often with nowhere to go? It’s because their own governments ordered cruise ships back to their flagged state, and not the country of origin where their head offices are. They didn’t pay taxes in their country, they didn’t park their ships in their country, so go home, go away back to your flagged state. This left thousands of crew members stranded for months on end, at anchor off the coast of their flagged state, often with no way of getting home. Why we have a deregulated coastal shipping industry here in New Zealand is absolutely beyond me. You don’t see the Royal New Zealand Navy flying under another nation’s flag, do we? Because it would be downright stupid. Why should the New Zealand coastal shipping industry be any different? We are a proud seafaring nation, and MUNZ’s seafaring members are the best trained and experienced in the world. It has been the neglected armof the New Zealand transport industry for many years, and we need serious answers fromour Transport Minister about why our industry has been pushed under the carpet. We cannot continue to pussy foot around it, because that’s got us nowhere. We need answers and the time is now. Why can’t we reinstate New Zealand flagged coastal shipping? All it requires is the removal of all references to foreign ships being able to carry goods along the New Zealand coast fromsection 198 of the Maritime Transport Act. They are our shores and our coast. There’s no better time than now for all New Zealanders to see a fully fledged New Zealand coastal shipping industry, crewed and manned with New Zealand seafarers doing what we do best, operating along our coasts and steaming into our own ports. That’s something New Zealanders can all be proud of.
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Christmas Party Pics It was great to see a strong turnout at the Branch’s Christmas events. 2020 was a hard year for everyone, so it was a great opportunity to let off some steam and relax with fellow members. Bring on Christmas 2021!
MUNZMember Mafoa Palakua - 20 Years of Hard Work, 20 Years Union Hard MUNZmember Mafoa (AB) has just completed 20 years service on the ferries. With a certificate and a $200 voucher, fromthe company, it equates to $10 per annum. This is why the “service allowance” is so important.New entrants in other sections of the company receive it fromday one, so MUNZmembers in our section deserve it too. Here at MUNZwe celebrate our own. The Union is thankful to Mafoa for his loyal membership and the least we can do is share it in our own publication.
Blood on the Wharves: Award to POALboard chairperson Ms Coutts must be returned In December 2020 the chair of the board for Ports of Auckland, Liz Coutts, was presented with an Deloitte Top 200 award for Chairperson of the Year in recognition of business excellence and leadership. The following day, Ports of Auckland was sentenced for their role in the death of 23-year old
employee LaboomDyer in 2018, and fined over half a million dollars. At a sentencing on 4 December at the Auckland District Court, Judge Evangelos Thomas fined POAL$540,000 and awarded $130,000 in reparations to Mr Dyer’s family.
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Judge Thomas said the Worksafe investigation found Ports of Auckland had failed to train its staff, and in monitoring and enforcing safety plans, and noted ‘there was a systemic failure to install and maintain a culture of safety and compliance.’ Another worker, 31-year old Palaamo Kalati, lost their life in Ports of Auckland on 30 August this year. Two of New Zealand’s leading unions, representing thousands of transport workers, say the award to POALBoard Chairperson Ms Coutts must be returned. Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison says it is incomprehensible in the circumstances that such an award should be given, or accepted.
Wellington Branch Contacts Jimmy King - Branch Secretary/Treasurer DDI: 04 38 59288 Mobile: 020 483 6262 Email: jim.king@munz.org.nz John Whiting -Branch Assistant Secretary Mobile: 021 606 379 Email: john.whiting@munz.org.nz Mick Williams - Branch President Mobile: 022 309 8959 Email: mick.williams@munz.org.nz Tony Mowbray - Vice President Mobile: 027 6376 561 Fiona Mansell - Women’s Rep Executive Mobile: 022 302 3010 Email: feemansell@gmail.com Jacob Blaikie - Youth Rep Executive Mobile: 022 658 3825 Email: blaikiejacob@gmail.com
National Office Officials Contacts Craig Harrison National Secretary Mobile: 027 422 5238 Direct dial: 04 801 7614 Email: craig.harrison@munz.org.nz Carl Findlay National President Mobile: 021 760 887 Email: carl.findlay@munz.org.nz
“This award is an insult [to the family] and it shows the real attitude of some employers towards workers in our country.” Rail and Maritime Transport Union Wayne Butson says the message given by the Award is a shocking one. “Those at the top of businesses where workers die or are harmed should not be getting prizes at the same time they are being sentenced for exposing those workers to harm.” Both unions are calling for stronger enforcement of health and safety laws, including the prosecution of individual managers and Board chairs who fail in their duty of care towards their workers.
George McIntosh - Executive Member Mobile: 027 392 7507 Email: georgeandjill@xtra.co.nz Lynette Payne - Executive Member Mobile: 027 355 9080 Email: awaywiththeferries@hotmail.com Paul Baggott - Executive Member Mobile: 027 688 8002 Email: paulsown@hotmail.com
Ports (Wellington) Bradley Cliff ord - Executive Member Mobile: 021 176 5928 Email: bradleyclifford@msn.com Jason Penny - Executive Member Mobile: 021 537 287 Email: jaypndawhare@gmail.com
Josh Greer National Vice President Mobile: To be confirmed Email To be confirmed Ray Fife Assistant National Secretary Mobile: 027 447 5317 Email: ray.fife@munz.org.nz
This publication is authorised by the Maritime Union of New Zealand’s National Secretary Craig Harrison. 220 Willis Street, Wellington. The Wellington Maritime Worker Published Regularly