KAITAKI EMERGENCY

The Kaitaki lost power just before 5pm on 28 January 2023 in deep water off Sinclair Head and had to drift into shallower water before the anchors could be effective.

Two anchors were put down to hold the ship securely in position while power was restored to the ship.

The ship was about 1.6km from the shore while at anchor, holding fast and at no serious risk of drifting further.

The Kaitaki returned to Wellington under its own power with two tug boats ready to assist if required.

The ship’s engines and systems are subject to continuous inspection and maintenance.

As part of the investigation and follow-up to the incident these processes will be further reviewed.

MUNZ is very proud of all our members on board who carried out their emergency duties in a very professional manner.

KR-IIL also remained in touch with me during the whole ordeal.

This was a reassuring and positive move in terms of keeping the communication channels open between the employer and union, especially in these circumstances.

Again, well done to everyone involved in the emergency operations.

– Jim King

Jim King Secretary/Treasurer Wellington Branch

KiwiRail

1. KR-IIL Terminal upgrade consent is approved. The upgrade of KiwiRail’s Kaiwharawhara Wellington Ferry terminal has been approved under the fast-track consenting process in a major milestone for the project. The main construction work on the terminal redeveloped is scheduled to start by mid-2023.

2. Retirement Clause

A letter has gone to KR-IIL regarding the Retirement Clause for those seafarers who transferred to KR-IIL through the Industry Transfer Agreement.

I have requested that we review the clause. We have had some members who transferred to Tranzrail in the early 1990’s via an industry transfer and did not qualify for retirement, when other industry transfers received retirement from the company.

3. Kaitaki Cabins

Live On-Board Cabins on Kaitaki are somewhat of a neglected state. There are issues with warped decks, shower linings lifting, black mould in bathrooms and on some of the crew mattresses.

Over the last few cycles, delegates have been going through crews’ cabins putting in work orders etc with the Master and ACSM. I believe it’s been recorded through health and safety. The crew have also been disposing of contaminated bedding and the like.

Finally after many years of the crews’ cabins being neglected over the refurbishments of passenger areas during wet docks and dry docks, the Kaitaki had the shipwright travel with them to assess their cabins on a one-to-one basis and work through highest need. At long last Progress.

Both the Deck department and OBS with the help of the CSM have agreed to work in with the Shipwright James to accommodate both him and the crew who need to be shifted from their normal cabins to allow the ship wright to do further assessments and works on the Deck 6,4 and 3 Cabins.

Thanks to Annie McCauley (Lyttleton Executive) for the report and constant updates.

4. Meals for WOWO’s

On Friday 30 December, Fiona Mansell and I met with KR-IIL to discuss the Catering attendant not having access to meals on the Kaitaki

5. Letter to Tu Rosson (KR-IIL)

This seems to be an ongoing problem, I may have agreed in principle some time ago that when the Kaitaki is late back into WLG, say 1830 hours, then the Catering WOWO’s would be given a meal.

The reality is Tu, our members are on the vessel whilst the dinner meal is being served at 1645 hours.

I continue to receive complaints from our members that they are in fact on board working their 10-hour shift, and the meal is being served up to all LOB’s, but the caterers are not permitted to have a meal, when in all honesty Tu, they still have one hour and fifteen minutes prior to the official sign off time at 1800.

This Union is inclined to agree that our members are entitled to be served a hot nutritious meal during their rostered time on the vessel.

This is set down in the MLC Seafarers Bill of Rights and is the absolute minimum standard.

Also please bear in mind, even though the Caterers are WOWO’s, the Seafarers Bill of Rights does not distinguish between those seafarers who live on board, or the walk on walk off seafarers.

I would like to see the company provide these meals without delay, and from what I can ascertain, our WOWO members that take their meal breaks will do this strategically so that there is no disruption to the overall operation of the vessel. Please refer below:

Regulation 3.2 – Food and catering Maritime Labour Convention, 2006

2. Seafarers on board a ship shall be provided with food free of charge during the period of engagement.

Moving forward, the Maritime Union would now like to see this essential right applied without delay. This is an issue that has now gone on way too long and it would be in the best interest of all concerned to have this major issue dealt with in an expedient manner which is agreed to by both parties.

Night shift Team Leader (T/L) (Low season) K2

It was agreed at the 2021 wage rounds, that in the off season there was to be the inclusion of the Team Leader placed on nights, information has now come back to me that this in fact is not the case.

There tends to be a laid-back approach when it comes to having a Team leader rostered on the night shift, it appears to be a hit and miss approach, if a T/L rostered on, then all well and good, but if they’re not, who cares. It was agreed to have this position filled.

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Which brings me to the next issue, if no T/L is working on nights, then the expectation from you is, one of the Caterers working nights is to take up the roles and responsibilities of the T/L.

Why are you not applying the higher duties rates and shorthand payments as per the CEA.

Shorthand pay

This issue still needs to be discussed, as I am aware there is shortages on a constant basis, and the shorthand payments are never made.

Tu, there’s a lot to deal with, but I would respectfully ask that you please first deal with the meals for WOWO’s urgently, then we can progress onto the other topics after this. I look forward to your reply.

StraitNZ

Bluebridge

6. Staff retention payments

The following was presented to the senior management team/ board and have been approved.

1. CSR hourly rate (Wellington and Picton): increase, with effect from 1 December 2022.

2. Passenger Terminal Supervisor rate (Wellington and Picton): increase, with effect from 1 December 2022.

3. Removal of 6-month stand down for sick leave, for all staff across whole StraitNZ, with effect from 1 December 2022.

4. Policies. Three policies covering whole StraitNZ:

- free Southern Cross Health Insurance Regular Care for all permanent staff (already implemented for all Bluebridge staff);

- wellbeing/fitness allowance for all permanent staff, $500 (gross) per calendar year.

- superannuation – matching employee contribution with employer contribution up to 8% max (to be implemented next pay run 14 December 2022).

StraitNZ stated points 1 and 2 enhancements are solely employer’s initiative and decided on outside bargaining therefore for next CEA bargaining round, any further salary negotiations will have as reference the rates as listed in current CEA.

This is their view, it isn’t the view of this union.

There’s a reason why they increase the remuneration to our shore-based membership, and that was in the name of retention.

This increase came on the back of a remuneration increase paid to our seagoing MUNZ seafarers, and that too was based on retaining their staff as they had a few seafarers leave and either went to the opposition or went to Maersk or Swire’s.

So, the Wellington Branch will be guided by the members claims, and not StraitNZ’s desires at the 2023 wage rounds.

For some strange reason, they also advised me the permanent Patch Drivers on IEA’s will receive a threetier remuneration structure with incremental steps with a first salary increase with effect from 1 December 2022.

Offshore

7. Australian Offshore Solutions (AOS)

Q7000 - Campaign is being contracted to MBIE to carry out end of life well operations to plug and abandon the Tui wells, off Taranaki, and is expected to take approximately 2 months, plus weather.

We have struggled to get IR’s, AB’s, Motormen, and cooks, we did manage to supply some crew, but inevitably we are short of labour, hence why we are in talks with the MUA.

Once again, MUA officials Will Tracey and George Gakis are endeavouring to assist us with the labour, and on behalf of the Wellington Branch and MUNZ as a whole, we sincerely thank them for their much-valued input and assistance which is truly appreciated.

Rough timeline:

• 4th Feb – ETA Malaysia

• Mid Mar – ETD Malaysia/Singapore

• End Mar – ETA Freemantle

• Mid Apr – ETA NZ

Crew required:

• 8 x IR’s (4 per swing) 4/5 MUA

• 4 x MM (2 per swing) MUA

• 2 x C/Cook (1 per swing)

• 6 x cook (3 per swing) – number TBC MUA

• 10 x Stewards (5 per swing) – dependent on POB

At this stage, I have been advised the vessel will not be drilling, therefore Class 4 Dive Support & MultiPurpose Construction Vessels could probably be its classification.

Niwa

I received an email from the Skipper of the Tangaroa , Daniel Haywood, which he wrote on behalf of all the crew, re, a formal written complaint regarding the vessels communication systems namely the SATCOM and Iridium Certus not working.

The emailed complaint I received was lengthy but in summary, the current Internet system used onboard was not fit for purpose and the system is not stable or available consistently. Even at the wharf during mobilisation the crew had to use their personal cell phones to hotspot because the ships 4G system was unavailable which is really unacceptable in a major New Zealand city like Wellington, there really is no acceptable excuse. As a result of this, nonconformity notices were served on NIWA.

All three unions are now in the process of claiming for hard laying.

General

8. Seafarer Training

We are starting to get a few names on our MUNZ Trainee Database. There are people from a vast range of sectors, with good transferable skills that can be utilised within the shipping sector.

It’s good to see that BlueBridge and KR-IIL have been the dominating forces in this problem area and have been for many years.

The candidates from our database who we have been putting forward for consideration are very keen and motivated people.

Both KR-IIL and Strait Shipping are the “industry leaders for seafarer training” therefore, it wouldn’t hurt for other shipping companies such as the Offshore Employers Group (OEG), and NIWA to take a leaf out of their book in terms of career pathways for all departments, deck, engine and catering, instead of stealing off companies who have put in a lot of time, money, and resources for these people to be trained as AB’s.

Please keep your emails, articles and pictures rolling in, they will be published in the next edition of the Wellington Maritime Worker, space permitting.

The next edition of the Maritime Worker is due out in April 2023 and will also have a new look format.

Very low in numbers.

Next Stop Work Meeting is set down for new date and day, Wednesday 1 March, to be held at 10am at the First Floor Conference room, MUNZ National Office, Waterside House.

12. 2023 up and coming wage Negotiations for Wellington Branch

• Blue Bridge – Ferries – June 2023

• Oil & Offshore Gas – October 2023

• StraitNZ – Wellington & Picton Terminals – June 2023

• NIWA – second phase of 2022 Terms of Settlement – June 2023

• KiwiRail InterIslander October

• Dutch Dredging December 2023

13. Wage rounds current

• NIWA Vessels (Settled)

• C3 Log Marshalling (Current)

• C3 Stevedoring (Current)

• SGS (current)

Auckland port ushers in industry first pay structure for stevedores

“Uncertainties” over Auckland port’s future and the cost-of-living squeeze have prompted the council-owned port company and the Maritime Union to bring in an industry-first pay structure for stevedores.

Stevedores, who unload and load ships, will move to a salaried income.

MUNZ Auckland Branch Secretary Russell Mayn said the new collective deal will provide stability for stevedores’ families at a time the cost of living is pinching, and that it’s an opportune time for the agreement “given the uncertainties surrounding the future of the port”.

“The introduction of dynamic rostering will be a game changer for a work-life balance for stevedores going forward. For the port of Auckland and its Maritime Union members this will be the first salaried contact.”

The extension of the current collective agreement to 2024 would provide stability for the port and its shareholder, Mayn said in a joint port company/ union statement.

The extra year’s extension would include an increase of pay in line with the consumer price index with an upper limit. It also included 40-hour salaries for stevedores.