THE Issue 56 • Autumn 2017
MARITIMES Magazine of the Maritime Union of New Zealand
www.munz.org.nz
ISSN 1176-3418
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Joe Fleetwood National Secretary Workers Need Strong Contracts
In recent months branches up and down the country have engaged in contract negotiations, winning substantial victories. Staunch industrial action delivered new gains while retaining historic union terms and conditions. There is ongoing bargaining in other centers. The legal strike action taken in Lyttelton to secure a Union Collective Agreement was our biggest battle in some time. Action began late last year, with MUNZ members out on the picket line most weekends over summer. The decision to go on strike is never an easy one but our Lyttelton brothers and sisters were determined to defend their pay and conditions. As the slogan on the placards said, “Family Matters”. We were forced to deal with the many anti-worker legislative changes put in place by the National Party, its goal clearly being to undermine the strength of collective bargaining that unions have.
“IF YOU FIGHT IT DOESN’T MEAN YOU WILL WIN, BUT IF YOU DON’T FIGHT, YOU LOSE. WE WILL NOT GET RID OF NATIONAL BY SITTING BACK AND HOPING SOMEONE ELSE DOES THE HEAVY LIFTING”
We were fighting court restrictions on our pickets the whole way through, and while we successfully defended the rights of our members (and all workers) to go out on the picket line, it was a telling sign of the times. Gone are the days when industrial action was understood to be a basic democratic right in a free society. The strike ended in victory with 95% of members voting to ratify a new collective agreement, and this deal was worth what we went through to win it. Local 43 won an immediate, backdated pay increase of 6.5% with further increases that add up to over 13% over three years. Our terms and conditions are secure, and measures are in place to safeguard and future proof our members as the economy moves in new, uncertain directions. Never forget the economy is changing rapidly around us. We need to change with it, and fight smart as well as hard. We need to be on the front foot when it comes to new technology and automation, because if we get left behind we will find life very difficult. That said, they cannot export the waterfront, and if we stay united and solid we will never be driven off it. Unity An important lesson to take from the Lyttelton dispute is the urgent need for unity on the waterfront. Many of us have advocated for it and believe as it is the desire of the rank and file, in turn it should be the mandate of the Maritime Union of New Zealand to deliver one union inside the wharf gates; though not at any cost. When workers aren’t united but are divided in different organizations, with separate collective agreements, we give the employer a free pass to exploit our divisions. The governing body of the Union outside bi-annual National Councils is the National Quadrennial Conference, last held in November 2016. This conference directed the National Officers to engage in serious high level talks aiming toward association, federation and amalgamation with other likeminded unions in our industry, aiming to create one union on the waterfront and one union in shipping. We must not lose sight of the importance and leverage an infrastructure union can deliver in the modern society we live in. We don’t all have to get along - though it would help! The overall best interests of our rank and file membership must come first and foremost, put before any personal or
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organizational rivalries. A strong union covering every part of the logistic supply chain in and out of the ports, land ports, depos, yards etc around New Zealand will provide workers with urgently needed capacity and leverage to fight back where necessary. This will be a real infrastructure union, that can deliver the blows when needed while still being willing to work with industry employers and work hard for its members. Changes at MBIE There have been concerning developments at the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment. Until recently, we had a constructive working relationship with various government officials there. If you wanted to discuss an issue relating to our industry, you could call up a specific individual in the ministry and discuss it with them. A week later you could talk to the same person about the same issue. This helped both sides get the results they wanted. It seems those days are over. MBIE has informed me that they are now relocating to a call centre based in Christchurch and all calls in and out will be processed through the new call centre. This will now create an unnecessary and inconvenient layer of bureaucracy between unions and the government officials we need to engage with. The results we are after seem to be getting further and further away from us. It is difficult to see any need for this frustrating change, because if the system isn’t broken why “fix it”? As a result of this frustrating change there will be a meeting convened by the Council of Trade Unions for affiliated organisations in late April to discuss the issue. I just hope we are talking with real people in the same room, not to a computer-generated voice over the phone or on TV. The mind boggles. Election With a general election on September 23rd all union members must consider what we can do to change the government. National have been taking us down the wrong path at high speed for nearly a decade and the results are plain to see. Homelessness, poverty and unemployment are out of control, and we are seeing the reemergence of previously eliminated diseases while Bill English ensures his rich mates profit from his peoples misery. There is an old union saying, as true now as it ever was; if you fight it doesn’t mean you will win, but if you don’t fight you lose. We will not get rid of National by sitting back and hoping someone else does the heavy lifting. Every vote counts, so make sure you talk to friends, family and fellow workers about the importance of voting in a progressive government come September. We can win most battles through shop floor organization and activism, but there are some important changes that will only occur under a friendly government.
THE MARITIMES MAGAZINE
Published quarterly by the Maritime Union of New Zealand. Authorized by Joe Fleetwood, 220 Willis Street, Wellington. ISSN 1176-3418 Email: joe.fleetwood@munz.org.nz Mail: PO Box 27004, Wellington 6141, New Zealand
MUNZ expects every member will do their duty. Further editions and articles this year will let you know why we promote a Labour-led Government. National Conference Printed in this issue of the Maritimes are all the remits from last November’s National Conference. It is important for all members to read these and think about what they mean, because once remits are debated and endorsed at Conference they become the guiding policy of our organisation for the years to come. We are a democratic union, and the decisions made by your delegates in Wellington last year will be implemented by the branch and national officials. There are commitments to organise political and industrial campaigns, to reform and restructure our activities where necessary, and to take steps that strengthen the involvement of rank and file members across the board. The November conference was a great success, and the strategies we prepare in its wake will take the Maritime Union forward on a solid footing. Shipping We need the 2018 Labour-led government to make coastal shipping an urgent priority. It is high time the struggling New Zealand shipping industry was offered an even playing field. New Zealand’s tax, environment and labour laws are not applied to the global shipping companies that dominate our coasts, and work that legitimately belongs to Kiwi seafarers is instead carried out by foreign crews passing through, often on low wages and appalling conditions. Either our maritime laws must apply to all vessels trading on our coast or a strategy must be in place to help domestic shipping companies that employ NZ seafarers of all rankings compete on an even keel, a level playing field. Young Kiwis have the right to a career pathway and secure jobs in their own country. It is no secret the maritime industry has an aging workforce, brought on largely by the lack of industry and government supported training. It is easier for the company to employ a non-New Zealand national than it is to train workers here. To an extent I support a quota system; for example, the workforce could have an 80% NZ component and a 20% foreign component. Without reforms to the industry at a top government level which provide a career path for our young and an even keel for NZ shipping, we will continue to see the demise of the New Zealand ship owners and crews to predatory multinational companies. The current government is hell bent on letting it happen. When a New Zealand flagged vessel runs up on the hard, they pay for the clean-up. When a foreign flagged vessel runs up on the hard it is often a different story. Getting international companies to pay up is like drawing blood from a stone. This must change. We are a struggle based Union and should never forget what we must do; organize, organize and organize again. Unity in Struggle!
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Carl Findlay National President Congratulations Lyttleton branch on your new three year collective agreement with Lyttelton Port Company. What a great way to start off the New Year! After months of negative and non-productive talks with LPC, the Lyttleton membership (with support from the negotiating team and National Office) decided to use their legal and democratic right to vote for strike action and withdraw their labour. Nobody likes to take strike action and in my experience strike action has always been the absolute last option for any worker to push for a fairer, safer deal. Once again it’s been left to our MUNZ members to make sacrifices in pursuit of a collective agreement; we have done the heavy lifting for others to follow and ultimately benefit from. Special mention has to go to the National Secretary for his guidance and once again well done to the negotiating team and the members for fighting from the front for a better, safer deal.
“A CHANGE IN LEGISLATION TO ASSIST UNIONS WITH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING & ORGANISING WORKERS WILL TRULY MAKE THIS THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO LIVE IN ONCE AGAIN”
I thought I’d get in first before everyone else has their say on the upcoming election for a new government. It’s absolutely essential we have a Labour-led government by the end of the night on 23rd September 2017. Party vote, party vote, party vote Labour that’s the key, and our message to members, family and friends if you want better labour laws in this country. I am not a Labour Party cheerleader but I believe if we deliver Andrew Little into power he will restore the balance so all workers - especially the most vulnerable - are on a level playing field with aggressive employers. With the National Party’s poster boy Don Key out of the limelight this is, in my opinion, the Labour Party’s election to lose. The normally totally biased media are reporting in a much fairer manner, giving current Prime Minister Bill English and the opposition leader comparable amounts of air time. The reporting does not seem as one sided as it once was. This was never the case when Key was in charge, he could do no wrong in most of the media and public eye. I’m still not one hundred percent convinced that Labour’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Greens is working to its full potential. Sure, Jacinda Ardern won the Mt Albert by-election but both Labour and the Greens put strong candidates forward for the seat. In the last election bloody National won the party vote in Mt Albert with approximately fourteen thousand votes, Labour came in second with approximately ten thousand while the Greens won approximately eight thousand. You can see my point – the left is divided. I might also add that the same situation arose in the Auckland central seat last time. National won because both Labour and the Greens ran strong candidates and split the vote. As I said earlier, it’s Labour’s election to lose. Personal agendas and in-fighting could derail Labour if they are not careful, however after attending the party conference and two party meetings recently I’m feeling confident overall. After listening to current shadow ministers and meeting the new talent available I’m sure Andrew Little and his team will keep them together. At the end of the day, whether Labour win or lose for many of us the struggle will continue, but I for one would appreciate a bit of help from a new government after nearly nine years of nothing but anti-union and proemployer legislation. A change in legislation to assist unions with collective agreements and organising workers will truly make this the best country in the world to live in once again. Finally, I would just like to welcome and wish new Communications Officer Alastair Reith all the best in his new role with the Maritime Union and all the very best for your first issue of the Maritimes.
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IN THIS ISSUE
National Secretary’s Update page 2 National President’s Update page 4 Union contacts page 5 Bill English Product Review page 6 International News page 7 Auckland page 10 Lyttelton page 11 New Plymouth 12 Vale Teihi Whaanga 14 Wellington 15 Women and Youth page 17 Bluff & Port Chalmers page 18 Napier page 19 Tauranga page 20 Conference Remits page 22 Methyl Bromide page 26 Letters to the Editor page 27 Interport Sports page 28 Maritime Retirement Scheme Savings Advice page 30 Changes to SeaCert page 31
CONTACT THE MARITIME UNION National Office Telephone: 04 3850 792 Fax: 04 3848 766 Address: PO Box 27004, Wellington 6141 National Secretary: Joe Fleetwood Direct dial: 04 8017614 Mobile: 021 364649 Email: joe.fleetwood@munz.org.nz National President: Carl Findlay Direct dial: 09 3034652 Mobile: 021 760887 Email: carl.findlay@munz.org.nz Assistant National Secretary: Ray Fife Direct dial: 03 2128189 Mobile: 0274 475317 Email: ray.fife@munz.org.nz National Vice President: Selwyn Russell Direct dial: 07 5755 668 Mobile: 0274 782308 Email: selwyn.russell@munz.org.nz ITF Inspector: Grahame McLaren Direct dial: 04 8017613 Mobile: 021 2921782 Email: mclaren_grahame@itf.org.uk Communications Officer: Alastair Reith Mobile: 021 1865078 Email: alastair.reith@munz.org.nz MARITIME UNION BADGES National Office Administrator: Ramesh Pathmanathan NICKEL PLATED WITH 3 ENAMEL INFILLS AND RESIN Email: ramesh@munz.org.nz
BRANCH AND LOCAL CONTACTS Whangarei Secretary: Rex Pearce Mobile: 021 718 704 President: John Farrow Mobile: 021 855 121 Address: PO Box 397, Whangarei 0140 Auckland Local 13 Phone: (09) 3034 652 Fax: (09) 3096 851 Secretary: Russell Mayn Mobile: 021760 886 Email: russell.mayn@munz.org.nz Asst. Secretary: Craig Harrison Mobile: 0274225238 Email: craig.harrison@munz.org.nz President: Hector Thorpe Mobile: 027 77 7162 Email: hector.thorpe@munz.org.nz Vice President: Carl Findlay Mobile: 021 760 887 Email: carl.findlay@munz.org.nz Address: PO Box 2645, Shortland Street, Auckland 1140 Mount Maunganui Phone: (07) 5755 668 Fax: (07) 5759 043 President: Peter Harvey Mobile: 027 550 1566 Secretary: Selwyn Russell Mobile: 027 478 2308 Email: selwyn.russell@munz.org.nz Address: PO Box 5121, Mt. Maunganui 3150 New Plymouth Secretary: Terry Whitehead Phone/Fax: (06) 751 5514 Email: npmunz@yahoo.com
Napier Secretary: Bill Connelly Mobile: 027 617 5441 Phone/Fax: (06) 8358 622 Address: PO Box 70, Napier Email: bill.connelly@munz.org.nz Wellington Secretary: Mike Clark Mobile: 027 453 8222 Email: mike.clark@munz.org.nz Phone: (04) 3859 288 Fax: (04) 3848 766 Asst. Secretary: John Whiting Mobile: 021 606379 Email: john.whiting@munz.org.nz Phone: (04) 8017 619 Address: PO Box 27004, Wellington 6141 President: Alan Windsor Mobile: 021 148 3771 Nelson Secretary: Ken Knox Phone/Fax: (03) 547 2102 Email: ken.knox@munz.org.nz
Mobile: 027 622 2691 Address: PO Box 5016, Nelson
Lyttelton Local 43 Secretary: Gary Horan Mobile: 021 180 6418 Phone/Fax: (03) 3288 306 Address: PO Box 29, Lyttelton Email: les.wells@munz.org.nz Timaru Secretary: Tony Townshend Mobile: 027 688 0032 Address: PO Box 813, Timaru Email: tony.townshend@munz.org.nz Port Chalmers Dunedin Local 10 Phone: (03)4728 052 Fax: (03) 4727 492 Secretary: Phil Adams Mobile: 0274 377601 President: Paul Napier Mobile: 021 472 021 Email: phil.adams@munz.org.nz Address: PO Box 44, Port Chalmers Bluff Phone/Fax: (03) 2128 189 Secretary: Ray Fife Email: ray.fife@munz.org.nz President: Barbara Shaw
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26mm
Mobile: 027 468 0050 Address: PO Box 6084, New Plymouth
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NEW BOSS, SAME AS THE OLD BOSS Prime Minister Bill English began his reign with a dubious promise.
except National and ACT, English personally vetoed it.
On December 12th last year he told us his government will ‘support unions’. That’ll make a nice change.
The bill had enough support to become law, but the same Finance Minister who gave his rich mates billions in tax cuts declared it unaffordable.
After eight years of John Key’s anti-worker policies kicking us in the teeth and bleeding us dry, a friendly government will be a welcome change indeed.
He markets himself as a fiscal conservative, arguing nobody should get comfortable living in a house provided by the state.
Let’s take a look at Mr English’s record. What has he done for us already? Last year he announced unemployment is caused by New Zealand workers being “damned hopeless”. The solution? Employers must exploit cheap migrant labour. Considering how hopeless we are, it’s the only way for them to “fill the gap”. Perhaps Mr English hasn’t seen the queues of thousands every time a new supermarket opens down the road? At a time when so many of us are out of work or stuck in low paid, casual and insecure employment, our new Prime Minister’s attitude doesn’t exactly bode well. Mr English likes to portray himself as an old fashioned family man, who puts children first and supports strong marriages. Yet when Labour MP Sue Moroney introduced a bill increasing paid parental leave from 18 to 26 weeks, with the support of every party in Parliament
He was quite happy, however, to accept nearly a thousand taxpayer dollars a week to pay for his families second house – a $1.2 million property in Karori – and only gave up this cosy arrangement under intense public pressure.
Yet just last year Bill English told us “there is no evidence that inequality in New Zealand is increasing.” There are none so blind as those who will not see. Perhaps the windows of his limousine are too tinted to notice the beggars sitting outside banks or the families sleeping in cars, but at any rate, the statisticians of his own government could have told him this country is headed toward levels of inequality we haven’t seen for a hundred years. The top 10% of New Zealanders own more than half this country’s wealth. 40% of us own just 3% of it.
As Finance Minister, Bill English allowed the housing crisis to spin wildly out of control.
Two Kiwi billionaires have a greater combined wealth than a third of adult Kiwis put together.
A government that supports union members will build tens of thousands of state houses, employing New Zealander workers on good wages to solve the crisis ourselves.
It’s been getting worse for thirty years. It got worse under John Key and Bill English promises us more of the same.
The English government, by contrast, is bulldozing state houses and using police to forcibly evict elderly residents from their homes. Why? To sell the land off to property developers, drive working class people out and replace us with rich yuppies and gentrification. Average house prices in Auckland are approaching a million dollars, driven higher and higher by predatory speculation as investment gamblers flip properties between each other.
A government that supports unions is urgently needed. Unions are the democratic movement of ordinary working people – what’s good for unions is good for everyone. We need higher wages, stronger protections at work, affordable housing and a crackdown on the tax dodging, property gambling elite who got us all into this mess in the first place. Bill English will not deliver for working people. It’s time we deliver him and his government an eviction notice.
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Agency, (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside. As part of this maritime success story, the developing African nation is pursuing cabotage policies many First World countries have abandoned with disastrous results for our industry. “Before the cabotage regime came into being, less than 12 per cent of Nigerians were on-board vessels operating in Nigerian waters,” says Peterside. “Today the figures have changed significantly, as over 60 per cent of workers on-board vessels operating under the cabotage regime are now Nigerians.
CFMEU wins Just Transition for Hazelwood power station workers The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) has won a Just Transition deal for workers at the Hazelwood power station in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria. Multinational energy company Engie announced in November 2016 that the coal fired power station and adjoining mine would close on 31 March 2017, at the cost of hundreds of jobs. The CFMEU entered into negotiations with power station operators in the Latrobe Valley and the Victoria government. The result is the Latrobe Valley Worker Transfer Partnership Scheme. The deal includes a commitment to minimize job losses, retrain workers, and an early retirement scheme that will free up positions for those wishing to continue working in the industry. Older workers will be offered early retirement at Loy Yang A power station and mine in the same area, creating jobs for young Hazelwood workers. It will keep families, jobs and money in the valley. At least 150 Hazelwood workers will be supported into employment. CFMEU national president, and IndustriALL Global Union executive committee member Tony Maher described the scheme, which includes commitments by Latrobe Valley power station operators, unions and the Victorian government, as “a breakthrough in best practice”. “This partnership sees workers, their families and the broader Latrobe Valley community supported through the Hazelwood power station closure,” he said. “It sees a just transition for workers, their families and communities.” Hundreds of directly affected workers and their families will breathe a little easier tonight, knowing there is a commitment to their families’ futures.” Hazelwood employs about 500 staff directly, and averages 300 alliance contractors with hundreds more employed during major maintenance periods.
Engie announced the closure of Hazelwood as a result of a policy of gradually ending its coal activities. In addition, the company has complained of low electricity prices and overcapacity in the electricity sector in Victoria. CFMEU and its allies, working closely with the government of the state of Victoria, lobbied hard for a solution. On Friday 10 March, Victoria premier Daniel Andrews announced a funding package to facilitate the retraining and early retirement of workers, as well as agreement with the energy companies for the redeployment of workers to other sites.
Madagascar Dock Workers Resist Sacking For Trying to Unionise The ITF organised rallies outside Madagascan embassies and consulates in Sydney, Washington, Brussels, Rotterdam, Paris, Istanbul and Helsinki on February 28, 2017.
“It may also interest you to note that before 2003, less than three per cent of vessels operating on our waters were flagged Nigerian.” “However, today, we have over 60 per cent vessels doing business in Nigerian waters flying the Nigerian flag.” “Other good news about the cabotage regime is the fact that we have been able to achieve a 20 percent increase in building cabotage vessels from a completely foreign dominated era.” “Our aim is to target 100 per cent cabotage compliance in the nearest future.”
Swedish Wharfies Fight For Jobs The Swedish Dockworkers Union is struggling against job cuts and anti-worker changes to scheduling and work patterns at Maersk-owned APM Terminals in the Port of Gothenburg.
ITF general secretary Steve Cotton said: “These workers were sacked for fighting for better wages and against dangerous conditions.
APM Terminals reportedly intends to lay off up to 60 dockworkers on temporary contracts, as well as 35 on permanent employment contracts (most of them SDU members).
After joining their union, they faced intimidation and retaliation from management, who gave them two options: leave the union or lose their jobs.”
The union fears this is an attempt to introduce casualisation and break workers organisation on the wharf.
“The workers refused and were sacked, contravening their rights to freedom of association. Most are struggling to survive.
In response to these moves by the company, the SDU has banned overtime and restricted the use of casuals in the largest container terminal in Scandinavia.
“The Court of Madagascar recognised that the union, SYGMMA, had the right to organise at the Port of Toamasina.” To date, none of the 43 workers who were dismissed for union activity have been reinstated.” MUA Sydney branch secretary Paul McAleer said: “These workers in Madagascar have to move 10,000 boxes [containers] in order to earn $200. We will fight alongside the Madagascan dockworkers until they win.”
Nigeria Implements Cabotage Despite a difficult economic environment, Nigeria recorded about a 59.5 percent increase in vessel traffic in 2016, according to the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety
The APMT Gothenburg dispute has been ongoing since spring 2016. In December 2016, the SDU and the International Dockworkers’ Council proposed an initial threemonth period without industrial action in an effort to establish constructive negotiations for a new production model at the terminal. According to the SDU, APMT management responded declaring “it was not willing to make any counter-commitments or compromises concerning the issues at hand.” Negotiations with management continue, but the dockers union is readying itself to take major industrial action if necessary.
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Ni Un Paso Atras - Not One Step Backwards
Historic win for Spanish dockers
Spanish watersiders are celebrating the defeat of government plans to destroy their union and replace them with casualised labour.
“The Spanish Parliament has rejected this decree, therefore acting to protect Spanish dockworkers,” he said.
Intense negotiations with political parties, port companies and other key stakeholders, coupled with preparations for massive strikes, led to a collapse of support in Spain’s parliament for the port reforms.
“Action has been cancelled indefinitely. However, the IDC will continue to watch over new developments closely.
According to the International Dockworkers Council, “their plan [was] to fire Spanish dockworkers at a rate of 25% of their full strength each year, which means an absolute extinction of their employment within three years.” Some of Spain’s port employers were openly licking their chops, telling PortStrategy.com that under the “free market” system of their dreams they can slash pay in half. The International Transport Workers’ Federation hailed this news as a victory for workers around the world, and an example of what is possible when workers organise and unite. “This just shows the power of the dockers in Spain and I congratulate them for making the government back down,” said ITF president & chair of the dockers’ section Paddy Crumlin. “Anyone who cares about Spain, Spanish jobs and its international standing knows that this plan stinks to high heaven. But it took the steadfast opposition of the workers, with international solidarity behind them, to make the politicians stand up and defeat this measure.” Jordi Aragunde, coordinator of the International Dockworkers Council and a Barcelona dock worker, warns this victory may only be temporary.
“IDC would like to express gratitude for the great show of support to Spanish dockworkers these past weeks, which is a point of pride for the international docker’s community — and one victory among many yet to be achieved.” ITF maritime coordinator Jacqueline Smith seconded his caution. “It’s clear that this is not the end of the attacks to conditions,” she said. “So while the ITF congratulates the Spanish dockers on their victory and thanks the hundreds of unions around the world who provided strong solidarity, we know we must prepare for the next round of attacks in Spain in the coming months.” “The battle of the Spanish dockers is a battle for all workers in Europe,” said European Transport Workers Federation political secretary for dockers and fisheries Livia Spera. “If the government had been allowed to get away with this it would have been yet another aggressive and destructive neo-liberal economic plan.” “On behalf of all workers in Europe, we congratulate our affiliates and all the Spanish dockers on their victory. We are proud of them and of their tireless struggle for a fairer transport sector in Europe.”
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Union leader Jordi Aragunde speaks to a crowd of Spanish dockers, flanked on stage by international leaders of our movement
What was at stake?
Since then there have been additional daily fines of 134,000 euros.
Under the current system, Spanish ports require employers to give preference when hiring to dockers who are part of a local register of qualified workers, known as a SAGEP.
What next?
The SAGEP is funded by contributions from companies providing cargo handling services, who are required to be involved if they wish to use Spanish ports. Unions work within the SAGEPs to ensure their members have secure jobs and pay commensurate with both their skills and the sacrifices they make working in a dangerous industry. The proposed changes would have replaced this system with one in which temping agencies and global corporations compete to claw back terms. Spanish ports are doing exceptionally well under the current system, with the port of Valencia handling a record 4.72 million TEUs last year. The port of Barcelona increased its container traffic in the same year by 14.5% to 2.2 million TEUs. Why now? Spain is a member of the European Union, which has the power to force policies on member states that override their sovereignty and go against the wishes of their people. In December 2014, the European Court of Justice declared the Spanish port employment system is against EU law. The EU imposed a 15.6 million euro fine in July 2016. Years of governmental gridlock in Madrid had put a showdown with maritime unions low on the agenda.
The initial wave of industrial action was called off in exchange for further talks, but the dockers remain organised and ready for action if the government renews its assault on dockers’ living standards. Unions across the world rallied to the Spanish dock workers flag, with pledges of support from Sweden, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Malta, Greece, Australia and the United States. If the Spanish government renews its assault on workers living standards, the international trade union movement has declared it will unleash coordinated waves of protest. All available methods of action are on the table. Spain may be far away from New Zealand, but an injury to one is an injury to all. There have been messages of solidarity sent to our Spanish brothers and sisters from Auckland , Lyttelton and Wellington branches, as well as the MUNZ national leadership. Spain’s port workers perform highly skilled and qualified work in one of the most dangerous industries in the world,” says MUNZ National Secretary Joe Fleetwood. “They have the right to secure hours, safe conditions and pay commensurate with their skills. The Rajoy regime has neither the mandate nor the moral right to replace dock workers with low-paid temporary labour. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our comrades in Spain. If there are any further attacks on working families, the international family of dock workers will respond accordingly.”
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LYTTELTON: DARE TO STRUGGLE, DARE TO WIN BRANCH SECRETARY’S REPORT BY GARY HORAN Lyttelton MUNZ members employed by the Port Company have just settled a long, drawn out contract negotiation with their employer which involved numerous weekends of strike action over the summer. The turnout at the picket was great and the members who took the time to protest for our rights showed a stanch attitude whether they were young or old. That must have annoyed the company, who were watching on newly installed cameras that were erected across the road from the designated picket area. Thanks go out to everyone who supported the pickets, from other port workers and local businesses to visiting union members from Newcastle and Auckland.
Special thanks are owed to Joe Fleetwood for the impact he had on the negotiations. Joe brought all his experience and mana to the table and helped the negotiating team finally reach an agreement. The calibre of the people on the negotiating team bodes well for the future, from the youngest Matt Carroll to the oldest (now retired) Bill Cowan. They displayed a staunch uncompromising attitude that finally got a result. With one fight over another is still going on with the members at C3 trying to get a contract after twenty months expired. Hopefully we can move this negotiation forward to a successful resolution. On a personal note, I want to thank everyone for their support since my recent election win. I want to thank outgoing branch secretary Les Wells for all his years of service and dedication to the union locally and nationally, and I wish Les all the best for the future.
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Auckland BY RUSSELL MAYN BRANCH SECRETARY I hope everyone managed to spend some time with their families over the Christmas period, and for those that were fortunate to get annual leave approved, I hope you enjoyed some leisure time away from the job. 2017 brings with it a number of challenges for Local 13, both at sea and on land. Automation Ports of Auckland will be moving forward with the planned automation of part of Fergusson Terminal. Stage one will be the introduction of automated straddle carries. Putting aside the rights and wrongs of automation, at this point in time more and more ports globally are choosing the option of automated cargo handling equipment. The jury is still out on the benefits of automation, that debate has yet to be supported by any real factual evidence. Responsible employers who are undertaking automation are also agreeing that any jobs that are created from the automation process will be given to Stevedores who are displaced by automation. Whilst this may involve retraining and different skill sets, this is the right approach as a number of stevedores come from a varied background before they entered the stevedoring sector. Every worker in our industry should be provided with the opportunity to retrain as part of any automation plan. We will be watching this space very carefully, just as we watch the applications from employers who apply to bring in overseas labour under the pretext of skill shortages to fill roles that could be filled by New Zealand workers. Collective Negotiations Currently we have a number of Collective Agreement negotiations either underway, nearly completed or not far from starting. The following is a brief summary: • Holcim Cement still ongoing. • Aotea Chief Collective Agreement in place late 2016. • Silver Fern Shipping Collective Agreement in place late 2016. • NZL Collective Agreement in place late 2016. • Fullers Ferries Marine waiting on final ratification. • Wallace Investment Stevedoring Collective
Agreement negotiations commencing in March 2017. • Pacifica Shipping Collective Agreement currently being negotiated. • First Security Collective Agreement negotiations commencing April 2017. • Fullers Ferries Maintenance Collective Agreement scheduled for mid-year. • Winstone’s Aggregates Collective Agreement scheduled for midyear. • Ports of Auckland Collective Agreement scheduled for the third quarter of the year. • C3 Stevedoring Collective Agreement scheduled for later in the year. Good settlements are hard to negotiate. They bombard us constantly with talk of low inflation rates, but these figures are no panacea to workers who live in cities where house prices and rental markets are going through the roof.
sector wage structures. It is no surprise to hear that the number of workers using the hardship grant provisions in their Kiwi Saver schemes has risen dramatically. The problem here is the whole point of Kiwi Saver is to assist workers in saving for their retirement. For many the unfortunate reality is they have to dip into these savings just to survive, and as for superannuation if the National Party gets it’s way we will all be too knackered at 67 to enjoy any benefits from a government based retirement plan. The National Party has not contributed any money to the “Cullen Fund” since it arrived on the Treasury Benches. You would just about think they don’t want workers to be in a position to retire with dignity. Better late than never, at least Andrew Little has come out and said Labour will not raise the age for superannuation entitlements. This is a flip, but better the flip than the flop.
Tough times for workers
Branch Elections
In some of the industries we represent you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Even if you win a large pay increase, the reality for some workers is that their jobs may then disappear.
During the recent elections in Local 13 it was heartening to see a number of our youth members put their hand up for positions on the Local 13 executive.
Because the National Award system was lost and there is no basic level playing field for workers, good companies that pay their workers well or companies who want to raise the rates of pay then face competition from companies that undercut contract prices with exploitative, oppressive low pay.
The investment that the Local has put into youth and training in general is starting to pay dividends. The work at the coal face in recruiting new members both young and old has been bolstered by our youth delegates. Good work by all.
How are workers supposed to survive in cities where rent and house prices are outstripping their incomes? You hear on the radio that wage levels need to be lifted, I believe the first step in the right direction is for the current system to be dismantled and we turn the clock back and re-establish National Awards or other forms of basic minimum
Congratulations to all those that were successful. We will be running education and training courses during 2017 so if you want to learn new skills and help your fellow workers get your name down on the list. See you all at the next monthly stopwork meeting, a much better forum to have your say than on Facebook.
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The Maritimes | Autumn 2017 | 11
Artania above, Silver Stream below
12 | The Maritimes | Autumn 2017
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New Plymouth BY TERRY WHITEHEAD BRANCH SECRETARY Kia ora from Taranaki. Hope you have all enjoyed this summer and didn’t blink too much because you may have missed it! I’m sure we all feel a little ripped off with this year’s so called hot season being days in length rather than weeks. We’ve had enough wind and rain to last through winter so it should be a mild one? Yeah right! Workloads Well the old adage ‘feast or famine’ has never been truer and volumes for fertiliser and Palm Kernel seem about the same despite the farmer’s current economic situation. The boats either come all at once or only for a small discharge which means making a profit can be hard for our branch. The added need for out of port labour also eats away the profit margin but without it, we wouldn’t be able to supply the required labour. Thanks to our Northland branch for the help & thanks to the ports who use us as well. We even had a trip to Gissy (Gisbourne) to work a log boat which our members really enjoyed. November National Conference Myself, Isaac McIndoe (Branch President) Ilise Whitehead (Womans Rep) and Joe Brown (Youth Rep) all attended and thoroughly enjoyed this event. The camaraderie, friendship & hospitality is outstanding and the friends made here are friends for life. The international speakers and guests are always enlightening and the struggles we share are worldwide, not just confined to our own neighbourhood. Just knowing our struggles are shared or similar makes unity that much stronger. We are there for each other and only through eventually combining and amalgamating with our follow like minded unions can we gain the strength needed to combat our struggles. I cannot wait to see what the future holds. Oil & Gas Still no sign of any recovery, exploration or investment. The New Zealand Petroleum Conference being held in New Plymouth 21/23 March may shed some light on the future of the industry so I will update and inform once known. Old Timers & Picnic Day A very well attended and enjoyed occasion once again. It was held at the Waimea Bowling Club and joined by our golfers after their morning rounds. This is an excellent day for young and old, where like minded past and present waterfront workers catch up and socialize. We shared it with our brothers and sisters of the Port Taranaki Social Club, it’s a great chance to catch up and share memories and storeys of past and present working environments. While the old timers far outnumber our present workers it’s always a pleasure to hold this day in memory of them as the sad truth is the numbers get smaller every year. The invites returned due to bereavement are always hard to swallow but we will always remember and honour our past members. Long may this day continue.
Cruise Ships Visit From smallish to huge we were lucky to have three visiting vessels over the holiday/summer period. The weather could have been as friendly as the Naki people but I’m sure the passengers who roamed our region enjoyed every minute and no doubt the hospitality. Starting with the Caledonia Sky (4,280 tonne), the Silver Whisper (28,258 tonne) and then the Artania (44,348 tonne), they were an awesome sight at our port and could be seen from a lot of vantage points throughout town. Hundreds of people flocked to the seashore to watch these beauties come in and out and while there was no work involved for us it was still a welcome boost to our community and a huge moral boost for our port that showed we are capable of handling future calls and hopefully a growing tourism area. Log Export Growth Volumes have increased and ships are becoming a bit more regular which is a very welcome sign for our branch. With a recent contract renewal hanging in the balance the winning of this work and also securing more means our future is a lot more positive. A big pat on the back to our manager Shane Parker who put so much effort into keeping this work. Also beating our competitors has a very sweet ring to it as the battle to become the preferred stevedoring company has intensified lately. It’s a situation we are all getting used to and the challenge to perform better and stay competitive and keep our excellent safety record ongoing is one that we thrive at. Local Branch Elections We are currently undergoing branch elections for official positions and with Isaac McIndoe not standing for re-election we can only wish him the best. Thanks for your service and commitment during your time as President. I will announce the outcomes in our next magazine. Talking of elections, congratulations to Jacinda Ardern on her recent by-election victory and the move to Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. With the elections this year we have our best ever chance of changing the government and getting behind a new leader of our great country. Health and Safety Still an ongoing and frustrating battle with port company policies but only by persisting can change for the better come about. I was unfortunate enough to have a shift with no fewer than five near miss incidents which - after hours of paperwork and forms and harassing the ‘right channels’ - has now led to some action, though unfortunately not enough for my liking. They did follow through but most of my recommendations went ignored or unanswered. I will continue to try and force change as one near miss is one too many. All these incidents involved unauthorized traffic in our log working yard and loading areas. After the Hooker’s truck crash/crush accident I thought things would be straight forward but maybe only another serious accident will wake them up. Let’s hope not! Near miss or risk management forms are only available online, no more hard copy forms can be submitted. I find it very ironic that to complain about this I have to go online!
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The Maritimes | Autumn 2017 | 13
OBITUARY FOR A FALLEN MATE BY JOHN WHITING ASSISTANT BRANCH SECRETARY
MUNZ Wellington Branch mourns the death of Teihi Whaanga, a union member who passed away on 13th February 2017 as a result of severe head injuries suffered while working at CentrePort’s empty container depot on Tuesday 31st January. The events surrounding his sustaining traumatic injury are under investigation by Worksafe and the Company. At the time he was employed as a container repairer and was working on the roof of a container. In the process of stopping for smoko he was found by fellow workers with serious injuries and they rendered immediate first aid and called for ambulance support. Teihi was admitted to Wellington Hospital, but despite receiving the full range of emergency treatments he succumbed to his injuries two weeks later. Presently, all ladder use is banned at CentrePort. Teihi’s death is another example of something that should never have occurred. As a Branch we are more determined than ever that safe work practices must be rigorously implemented and enforced, both by management, and by ourselves as organised workers. We must become our brother’s keeper on the job! Teihi was farewelled at a very large funeral gathering at Lower Hutt . Many of his fellow workers and MUNZ members attended to pay our last respects and to support his bereaved family. R.I.P. Teihi.
14 | The Maritimes | Autumn 2017
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Wellington BY MIKE CLARK BRANCH SECRETARY There are several significant outstanding issues in the branch. We are working to ratify the Offshore Oil and Gas Collective Employment Agreement, as well as a CEA with the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research. We are hoping to conclude shortly a dry dock agreement with the Interisland Line Kaitaki, and aim to have all these deals finalized in the next few weeks. We are extremely concerned about the high number of investigatory and disciplinary meetings happening on ships operated by the Interislander. It is imperative we operate within the terms and conditions set out in the Collective Agreement. If there is a valid reason to be absent from the workplace then it is a requirement you notify somebody on the vessel or ashore as soon as possible. This also applies to injuries that happen on board; they need to be reported to the Officer of the Watch. Do not wait until you are off the vessel and then go to your own doctor. Remember, if it is not reported on board then as far as the company is concerned it didn’t happen. Also, if you find yourself involved in a disciplinary issue of any kind, be sure to take union representation with you if required to attend a meeting. Speak to your delegate. Work in the Offshore Oil and Gas sector is starting to wind down for the winter months, and we are in contact with our comrades in Western Australia to see if they have work coming up which requires extra labour.
In the 1919 election the new party gained eight seats, and as the Great Depression hit hard in the 1930s support for the party grew. In 1935 the first Labour government was elected with Michael Joseph Savage at the helm. State houses were built for working families and social welfare was, for the first time, made widely available to all. Labour governments introduced other progressive changes around workplace rights, public health, free education and Waitangi Treaty settlements. Fighting for our future It is important to remember where our roots are and that we are a struggle based organization. We need a government with a social conscience so that there is housing, education, healthcare and job growth for all working class New Zealanders. It’s important you encourage your work colleagues, family and friends to take the time on 23rd September to get out, vote and elect a Labour government. Electing Labour will not fix everything by itself. They will need pressure from unions such as ours to keep them honest – history teaches us this very clearly. We need them to reintroduce cabotage. Guaranteeing that NZ coastal shipping is carried out by NZ crews will ensure our country maintains a domestic maritime industry, which will in turn lead to more jobs and training for young New Zealanders looking for a career at sea. This will ensure the future of our industry. The government has a moral and social obligation to protect seafarer’s and docker’s skills and jobs in our own country instead of using foreign operators to carry cargo on our coast. Below, L-R: Shonei Puketapu and Lesieli Fono
There has been a reshuffle in the office, with Wellington Branch located on the same level but on the West side of the building. National Office has taken over the Eastern side. Upcoming General Election Saturday 23 September is a big day for the New Zealand public. We get to determine the membership of the 52nd New Zealand Parliament. Voting in a General Election gives you a say on the people and political party that best represents your interests. As a working class union, whether dockers or seafarers, we want a worker friendly government that will enhance and protect our interests both now and in the future. Labour’s Background On 7 July 1916, the Labour Party was born when workers got together after prolonged industrial unrest among miners and other militant workers on the West Coast. Last year Labour celebrated its 100th anniversary as the longest serving political party in New Zealand. One of the early campaigns of Labour was its opposition to conscription during World War I. They argued that working men should not be forced to kill fellow workers overseas, and certainly not without the wealth of the rich also being conscripted. This stand for international solidarity led to the imprisonment of many party activists and leaders, including future Prime Minister Peter Fraser.
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The Maritimes | Autumn 2017 | 15
Vince Wall, veteran working class battler
CentrePort Round Up BY JOHN WHITING ASSISTANT BRANCH SECRETARY The 7.8. magnitude Kaikoura earthquake that struck on 14th November 2016 caused severe damage at the Port of Wellington. The reclaimed land supporting the Container Terminal suffered major effects from liquefaction and slumping. The port’s two gantry cranes have been isolated and unusable since the earthquake. From the first days after the event remedial work has been underway, with assistance being offered, and accepted, from Port of Lyttelton’s engineers, and also with the engagement of contractors who successfully completed the Lyttelton Port earthquake damage remediation. In respect of our members who work at CentrePort, the Company immediately confirmed their employment would continue and that all wage guarantees would be honoured. In practice this has also extended to getting P24s as close as possible to 40 hours. With much less cargo work available our members have been utilised in Port Security, also assistance with security and shuttles for the large number
of cruise ships visiting the port, and any other available and suitable duties. Without gantry cranes available container work has been restricted to vessels with ship’s cranes— there are not a lot around! ANL are now calling weekly, however, supplemented with two craned vessels, from MSC and Maersk respectively. Meanwhile, Wellington containerised imports and exports are haemorrhaging to and from other ports, anecdotally Napier, Lyttelton, Nelson, and Tauranga. The additional haulage by road or rail has added extra costs for importers and exporters to the tune of over $1500 per box. These pressures are driving the major efforts towards reinstating sufficient working berth area for the two gantry cranes — target time June 2017. The commitment of CentrePort to restoration of the container port is heartening to the workforce, particularly as it has the backing of the port’s owners, the Wellington Regional Council, and the Horizons [Manawatu and Whanganui] Regional Council. Despite the different viewpoints expressed recently by local commercial property interests, that
appear to question the continuance of a container operation at the Port of Wellington, all signs point to work being back on track shortly. Vince Wall - MUNZ Delegate Retires We note the recent retirement of Vince Wall (pictured above) from his employment with SGS Wellington, and also from the post of delegate for his fellow workers there. These workers transferred their coverage to MUNZ from the National Distribution Union in 2010 following discussion and agreement between the two Unions. The work covered involves tanker discharge and bunkering of vessels, mainly the Cook Strait ferries. Vince was the workforce delegate, and was a key player in the initial (and somewhat drawn-out) negotiations to achieve an acceptable Collective Agreement between SGS and MUNZ. His on the job knowledge and vigilance were important in all subsequent renegotiations and many other matters concerning fair outcomes for our members. Vince’s delegate skills and commitment to collectivism for workers were honed during his previous 40 year employment span at the Dunlop NZ tyre plant in Upper Hutt. Vince, we appreciate working alongside you. Enjoy your well earned retirement.
16 | The Maritimes | Autumn 2017
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Women’s Report BY MARIAN LESSLIE NATIONAL WOMEN’S REP
to send any delegates so I can get an idea of how many from MUNZ are likely to attend. And let’s not forget the General Election on Saturday 23 September. I am sure we are all going to be doing our bit around this. Please feel free to contact me for any union issue/ information you need at the following email address: mazza1901@windowslive.com
Youth Report BY JOSHUA GREER NATIONAL YOUTH REP
Hello everyone. It’s a bad start to 2017 with the death of MUNZ member Teihi Whaanga at Centreport, a Filipino seafarer dead aboard the Emerald Princess as it moored in Port Chalmers, and a truck driver crushed to death at South Port. Our thoughts go out to their families. With this in mind, we can’t stress enough the importance of health and safety in our workplaces. We must always apply safe work practices.
For those who have not met me yet, my name is Marian Lesslie and I have been a member of the Wellington branch for 15 years. I work as a Second Cook on board the Kaitaki. I got involved in the union early on, I felt it was important to have a woman taking a leading role nationally and locally to take on and look after the issues that the women of MUNZ may face. As well as being the national Women’s Rep I’m also the women’s rep for Wellington branch and sit for MUNZ on the CTU women’s council. We ended 2016 on a big high by holding our first ever women and youth conference as part of the national conference in November. We had great feedback not just from our own members but also from the international guests that attended. We’ve sourced great ideas and information from the rank and file, which will help us move forward to develop strong activists and help our members become leaders within their own branches. We have a lot of work ahead of us and I’m hoping to catch up with more members in the near future to hear any issues and ideas you may have. So a big thank you to all our branches for getting involved and sending delegates, branch delegates, international guests and speakers. Looking ahead to 2017 we have a huge year ahead. In July the CTU is hosting in Wellington a two day women’s conference. In the past members who have attended this conference have enjoyed it and got a lot out of it. The dates for the conference are 14-15 July 2017. It would be great if other branches could send delegates to attend. Please get in touch with your branch secretary or with national office and ask them to give me an idea if they are going
It’s worth noting that the union movement won significant improvements in 2016 through concerted campaigning around new health and safety legislation, and the outlawing of zero hour contracts thanks to Unite’s campaign in fast food.
Above, L-R: Neenah Vaolikoseu, Elizabeth Cooper, Laylah Tupou Below, L-R: Arlene Pati and Nikita Page Across Page, L-R: Marian Lesslie, Elizabeth Cooper
Waiting for a friendlier political climate will not be enough, we must use these challenging times to organise the workers. It’s going to be a big year with the general election on the 23rd September, and we must get out and vote for a more worker friendly party that will look at the major issues which need addressing. Child poverty, housing affordability, coastal shipping, under funding of the health sector, tax avoidance by the rich are just a few of the important issues that need addressing. Youth unemployment is particularly concerning, with 11.1% of people between 15 and 24 out of a job. As a young activist in the union, it is an honour to be surrounded by our strong tradition of working class organisation. The collective memory of our movement is a major strength and its very pleasing to be around. We need to learn from the past as we prepare for the future, and that’s where we as young workers come in. New technology is bringing massive changes with it, and our generation has the ability (and the responsibility) to engage with that in a creative way that preserves and improves what has been handed down to us. Last year we brought all the youth and women’s delegates together and met with representatives from the MUA. Every local branch has different concerns, and through group discussions were worked out various common points. Many of these became remits passed at the union’s National
Conference. It was interesting hearing trade union leaders from around the world speak about their struggles, and there is a lot we can learn from their different ways of engaging with young workers. I became active with my local branch because I feel I can contribute something for the members. I want to help find solutions to our problems as workers, and address concerns in a constructive manner. I see the Youth Rep position as a way to gain experience from the more seasoned executives, which has been very helpful. Younger members must be heard. We must have our say and actively take part in the union, because it’s our future at stake. If that’s not worth fighting for, I’m not sure what is.
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The Maritimes | Autumn 2017 | 17
Bluff BY BARBARA SHAW BRANCH PRESIDENT
Kia Ora from Bluff, one of the safest places in NZ. At the time of me writing this Auckland has just had a week of rain and flooding and Christchurch has suffered fires on top of the earthquakes. We are feeling very lucky down here! Work has slowed down considerably. It has gone from stevedores hardly being able to take a breath last year to having days of idle time. The economy in Southland has slowed. The usual log, fertiliser, metal, and woodchip visitors have still been here but less frequently. MSC are still a weekly caller with containers to exchange. We have a huge stockpile of logs on the Island Harbour at the moment. The forecast for the log trade in Bluff is likely to increase and with a shortage of space on the Port to marshal the logs they have had to be stored off site . We have had an upsurge in cruise ships calling in following visits to other ports around NZ . The photo above (taken from my house) is of the largest cruise ship to ever visit Bluff, the Artania, leaving the port after her short stay. Southland Stevedore Services The Stevedores Collective has been under negotiation over the past few weeks and looks close to being a happy outcome. I must say it was nice to negotiate with bosses who said yes to claims and used the word ‘fair’. Also in the good news section, Southland Stevedoring has employed 6 new permanent workers. It is always good to see workers getting a stable job and a steady income so they can get
The Artania visiting Bluff
home loans and move ahead in life. Tragic Accident Tragically there has been another death on our port. 54 year old truck driver Colin Hansen was crushed when he got out of his truck and was not seen by the loader driver in one of our PK sheds. Our condolences go out to his family and all those involved in this terrible accident. With all the Health & Safety laws and legislation there are still people not going home from work because of an accident. Be careful out there and look out for each other. Go home safe. Inter Port Sports The usual suspects, Tom Morgan, Norm Irwin, Peter Waddel, Chris Ryan and Willie Isiah attended the Inter Port Tournament in February hosted by Port Chalmers. They had a great time but unfortunately did not return with the Waka. They
will have to go again next year and win it back. Thanks to Port Chalmers Branch for an enjoyable Tournament. Disciplinaries – South Port We have been dealing with a lot of disciplinary incidents involving South Port staff lately. There are a variety of reasons why these disciplinaries are being pursued and it is distressing when workers have their employment terminated. Please do not give employers any reason to scrutinise your work. Training We are looking forward to Craig Harrison coming to Bluff for delegate training sessions. Hopefully we can host Union members from Port Chalmers and all learn from Craig. We might even stump up some oysters for them! Take care everyone.
Port Chalmers PHIL ADAMS BRANCH SECRETARY No report was received from Local 10.
18 | The Maritimes | Autumn 2017
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Napier BY BILL CONNELLY BRANCH SECRETARY The tourist vessel arrivals are on the decline at the moment, as a busy season comes to an end. On January the 5th Napier welcomed the arrival of the “Ovation of the Seas”. At an impressive 348 metres long and carrying over 5000 passengers and crew, it was the biggest ship ever to come alongside in our harbour. The CEO of Napier Port, Garth Cowie, stated it was a huge opportunity to showcase our region, and to demonstrate that Napier Port and our local tourism sector are capable of hosting cruise vessels of this size. The “Art Deco” weekend is over and done with for another year, but by all accounts was a huge success. The port is now gearing up for the busy fruit season in Hawke’s Bay that will shortly be upon us. Closure of the Union Office Unfortunately, the Branch has had to close the Union Office situated at the Napier Port. The office was closed for financial reasons. If it was left to the current permanent membership to fund keeping the Union Office open, then it would have cost each member approximately $245 per year. The closure will save the Branch some $8000 per year, which the Executive Committee have deemed a necessity to keep the Branch financially viable into the foreseeable future. The Secretary/Treasurer, Bill Connelly, can be contacted on his home telephone number which is (06) 844-1674 or on his mobile 027 617-5441 or by emailing him at nzwwu_napier_branch52@ xtra.co.nz. Without the contributions from members employed on a casual basis the Branch would not be financially viable. C3: Formerly Toll Logistics New Zealand Limited
fees. This is one that we have to win, because for the majority of the time Napier members rely on income from out of port transfers. This accounts for about half of their annual income. Hawke’s Bay Stevedoring Services Limited
This is proving to be a long-winded exercise and after nearly a week of negotiations we do not seem to be any closer to reaching an agreement acceptable to both parties.
Negotiations have concluded for the Local Port Schedule, which covers the local member’s terms and conditions of employment. This will expire on the 31st October 2017.
On top of these negotiations the Branch also had to request the assistance of Mediation Services for clarification of an out of port allowance clause.
Kelcold Limited
Both of these issues are still ongoing and are costing the Branch a considerable amount in legal
The new agreement is in place for a three-year term until 2018, with minimal increases on the anniversary of each year.
NZL Containers Limited The Auckland, Tauranga and Napier Branches have concluded an agreement, which is for a period of two years and will expire on the 30th September 2018. Annual General Meeting and a Delayed Annual Function The Branch held its Annual General Meeting for the financial year ending 31st March 2015 and a belated annual function for the membership. This proved to be very enjoyable for all who attended and we are looking forward to being able to hold the annual function for 2016 before the end of 2017.
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The Maritimes | Autumn 2017 | 19
Tauranga BY SELWYN RUSSELL & PETER HARVEY BRANCH SECRETARY & BRANCH PRESIDENT Well, to say we have been busy in the branch is an understatement. We’ve had many meetings with new member groups, and have supported a number of workers facing disciplinaries. A key ongoing issue we are dealing with is methyl bromide, its use as a fumigant at the port and the dangers we face working around it. Branch leaders and activists attended a public meeting with Green MP Steffanan Browning regarding this topic, and we are disturbed by the unsafe practices going on. Peter Harvey, our branch President, has been ably assisting the organisation in pretty much all that’s been happening. He has shown great commitment to the branch and the union in all matters, and we should all be thankful for his input; I know I am. The most recent report shows Port of Tauranga made a profit of $41 million in the second half of 2016, with a total trade increase of 8%. Imports increased by 7% in volume, and exports are expected to rise to 9% as the log volumes recover. The port is on track to hit one million TEUs in 2017. As far as logs and general cargo are concerned, this should impact favourably on our members. Many of us basically rely on this type of throughput to continue to have contracts, which also assists in growing the overall number of workers and union members in our industry. As stated we have met many groups lately and it is quite encouraging to see new members highly
A welcome development: MUNZ members from ISO
interested and eager to get involved and organised as a union in their workplace. Attached are 2 photos of some of the members from new areas. We wish them a hearty and warm welcome to the Maritime Union as we go forward, with the goal as always of attaining Collective Agreements we can all be proud of. Ballance Fertilisers We have some so-called restructuring here which seems to be putting extra pressure on the workload of some our members. They have reduced staff numbers under the guise of more “technology becoming available and working smarter”, and that’s all well and good. However, when someone who is trying to keep up with the extra workload ends up making a mistake, management immediately respond by investigating the attitudes and culture of the workers involved. Well, it did not happen before and now it is happening with some frequency! This suggests that cost cutting and speed up are a factor, not just the actions of individual workers. We will be working hard to raise these concerns, as unfortunately it has got to a disciplinary stage for some members. We will put a case forward that defends your rights. Bakel’s oils We are pleased to announce we will be initiating bargaining with Bakel’s, as we now have 15 members. The first all up meeting we held recently was extremely positive. When we first started organising here there seemed to be some anti-union attitudes, like you
find in many workplaces. Ultimately, however, the fact is that members just wish to be treated with dignity and allowed to have their voices heard. It seems they did not have that in the past. We have elected a delegate, and are currently collating the individual agreements. We look forward to negotiations starting. Container Co/NZL The company will be doing a review here to address the issue of low wages, though we have signed a document with them through to 2018. We are pleased they are addressing this and also happy that they do not wish to be perceived as a low wage operation by the wider public. The members are well represented with Mark Allen as delegate and although we are not in bargaining we will put a strong case forward regarding the issue at an upcoming meeting. C3 There have been contentious issues here in regard to the Personal to Holders. I believe there are interpretations that have been spread around the membership on issues that have been in the document for well over twenty years. Irrespective of the outcome, the fact is the company reserves its right to enforce the clauses. It seems information was not getting back to members as well as it could have, and the legal clarification we paid for was challenged without our understanding or our knowledge. As to the accusation we failed to look after Statuary Holidays, it must be remembered we were on a roll over contract last time, and holiday legislation has changed.
20 | The Maritimes | Autumn 2017
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refusing to allow us to access the Individual Employment Agreements of our members. We have got the paper trail going and had a letter drafted and sent by our lawyer demanding they cooperate, and I am glad to report they have agreed to disclose the documents. We have not received them yet but will be chasing it up until we do, so watch this space. To all members at ISO, the Maritime Union of New Zealand welcomes you all. The sooner we can all be on the same page to enforce nationwide port standards the better. When we first started signing up members I made plans to go around the country talking to ISO and recruiting them in various ports. Bakel’s Oils comrades
This was reviewed and updated for the new document. We have two PTH members who resigned over this issue, and their belief in a supposed sell out of the members by the Union. They stated this in front of company management at a PTH meeting. All the while they were bagging other members in front them for doing what the document allows; overtime, twelve hour shifts, block use of their days off within the month. Then, with resignation papers already written out in their pockets they submitted these to us without engaging in any prior communication. Frankly, it seems like they only wished to discredit us. To them we say they should look in the mirror and think about their previous negotiations stance, where they agreed to accept the contract and continued to support accepting thousands of dollars in exchange for future conditions for all workers who follow after us. Disgraceful!
addition of forty or so new members within this company, this is the first time in more than twenty years that we have had members join from ISO. Their main ambition is to be recognised with a strong voice. There have been issues in the past where ASU, the association which currently negotiates the collective agreement, has not been seen as putting worker’s interests first. Since we signed these members up we have had regular disciplinaries and fact finding meetings regarding incidents. There has been one dismissal, regarding which we have taken legal advice and are preparing a challenge. We have been addressing Health and Safety, whether about specific incidents or general queries, plus issues with training and the ongoing concerns around methyl bromide. All of these have our full attention.
Due to the fact the company were baulking over allowing us access to our members IEAs, the decision was made to wait until we got over the first hurdle, and we have now done so. We are determined to sign a collective agreement. By staunchly representing our membership and winning better terms and conditions, we will show everyone this is what MUNZ is all about. NZM It’s pretty much par for the course here as they are all Casuals and the company seems to survive on picking up the extras from other companies. Training The branch is looking forward to Craig Harrison coming down for Delegate and Health and Safety training. The exact date is not finalised, but it will be in the next few months. Cheers everyone. Be safe.
Signed we signed them up, ISO were consistently
This is not a true indication of unionism, and to be truly candid it shows us the selfishness of some at the expense of many. For guys who have been affected by this our hands are tied, and we truly understand the frustration some workers feel. However, as we move forward it is imperative to be on the same page and recognise that the vote of every member in MUNZ is democratic and binding. That is the foundation of this union. We had an all up meeting where National Secretary Joe Fleetwood came up to see all C3 members. Everyone was invited to attend, and we addressed these issues thoroughly. I personally hope this gave the members more understanding of what’s going on. We have just signed up a few more members in C3 and look forward to the possibility of extra work with new contracts hopefully being attained with the company around New Zealand. ISO It is with great pleasure that I can report the
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Jimmy Rosser retires and receives his life membership
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Your Decisions Build Power One of the main purposes of the National Conference is to set Maritime Union policy, and to make decisions about how the Union operates and what it does. The Maritime Union is a democratic organization where all members can have an influence and a say at branch level. Branches have up to 28 days before the opening of Conference to send remits through (as per the rules), which are then debated and voted on. If the remits are passed, the Union will follow through and act on them. At the 2016 Conference, 33 remits were received. Nine remits from Port Chalmers were not accepted as they were received late, and three remits from Wellington were rejected by conference. The accepted remits are listed below under their category, and note what branch the remit came from. At the bottom of each remit, information includes the recommendation of the Remit Committee on the remit, the delegate who moved the remit and the delegate who seconded it, and whether it was carried or lost. Remit 1: Union structure and governance (Wellington): To have Central Collection added into them as the process for payment of Union Fees e.g. Employer remits all fee deductions to MUNZ National Office on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis as per current practice; National Office deducts the capitation fee and remits the excess to the appropriate Branch(s). Conference Resolved: That Remit 1 be adopted. Moved: John Whiting / Seconded: Alan Williams Carried by Conference
to review and address clause 12.3 e.g. no Branch/ local shall have more than 4 delegates based on the matrix in the rules as recorded in clause 12.2 (full stop after delegates) and amend according. And also notes: the same discussion and debate is needed about the number of branch delegates that attend National Council.
Remit 2: Union Governance and Financial (Wellington): Clause 16 – Duties of the National Returning Officer and the National Scrutineers to be clarified, including his or her term which is in line with the National Officers term e.g. 4 years as well as the National Scrutineers.
Conference Resolved: That Part One of Remit 3 be adopted, with amendment of a full stop after delegates, and that the second part be discussed at the May National Council 2017.
Conference Resolved: That Remit 2 be adopted.
Carried by Conference (Part 1, Part 2 to NC May 2017)
Moved: John Whiting / Seconded: Alan Windsor Carried by Conference Union Governance and Financial (Wellington): The Wellington Branch notes: that rule 12 of the Union Rules (heading “National Conference”, section 12.3) refers to “representation is reviewed on a national basis by the National Conference/ National Council.” Remit 3: Part 1 (Part 2 sent to National Council): The Wellington Branch asks Conference
Moved: John Whiting / Seconded: Alan Windsor
Remit 8: Union Governance and Financial (Wellington): SRF rules need to be looked at and brought up to date with how things are for members now, maybe look at how to let younger members use some of their funds to use as security on a deposit for a home. Conference Resolved: That Remit 8 be adopted. Moved: Mike Clark / Seconded: Bradley Clifford Carried by Conference
Requested that it be put to the Trustees of the Super Fund. Remits 12, 20, 24, 33 & 34: Coastal Shipping Policy, Grouped Together Remit 12: Union Governance and Financial (Wellington): MUNZ to lobby other unions and organizations in NZ etc to lobby government ministers, opposition ministers and other political parties to look at NZ maritime workers to get manning on vessels that ply NZ coastal ports carrying NZ cargoes to our overseas trading partners as has happened in the past. Maybe through National General Secretary, through his position in the NZ Labour Party Unions Committee as Vice Chair, to be able to link up with MUA counterparts to seek joint discussions with those companies that ply their vessels through NZ and Australian Ports making huge profits, that they put NZ crews on one or two of their many vessels and give something back! To lobby Government to repeal the act or acts that decimated jobs for NZ seafarers, as most of the politicians that implemented these acts are gone and maybe a new breed that are in the beehive may see sense in what we think. Remit 20: Political and campaigns (Tauranga):
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To see if a Trans-Tasman campaign could be started with the Australian seafarers in regard to re-manning the ships that ply both of our coasts with equal manning by both Australian and New Zealand seafarers. Remit 24: Political and campaigns (Bluff): This Conference reaffirms its position to supporting and rebuilding New Zealand coastal shipping and will continue to campaign and actively support any measures to do so. The Union will advocate for policies to support this through the NZ Labour Party. Remit 33: Political and campaigns (Auckland): Given the recent publicity surrounding the exploitation of immigrant workers in New Zealand this would be an opportune time to revisit the coastal shipping policy that allows international shipping companies to exploit foreign crews on the New Zealand coast. This remit acknowledges the historical and ongoing work completed by the Maritime Union of New Zealand in this area. This remit calls for a renewed campaign to secure all coastal trade to be handled by New Zealand Seafarers on New Zealand flagged vessels. If successful this would provide stability of employment for Seafarers and allow the establishment of a training regime that will ensure the future of our industry going into the next century. This notes that in order for the union to be successful we will require the support of a Government that will not be afraid to enact legislation to protect our coast from exploitation and ecological harm. Remit 34 (First Half): Political and campaigns (Auckland): That the 2016 Maritime Union of New Zealand Quadrennial conference reaffirms its ongoing support for the New Zealand Labour Party.
annual event. The women and youth committee give a commitment to fundraise and also ask the National Secretary if a funding component can be set by National Office in conjunction with the National Council. Final decisions on the format and venue of the event to be made by the National office of MUNZ taking into consideration input from the national women and youth delegates. These seminars to be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure they are serving a useful purpose. Conference Resolved: That Remit 13 be adopted. Moved: Marian Lesslie / Seconded: Josh Greer Carried by Conference
Moved: Mike Clark / Seconded: John Whiting
Remit 14: Communications training and education (Wellington): That a MUNZ youth committee and a women’s committee be established on a national basis to provide informal feedback and assistance to the National Youth Representative and National Women’s Representative, under the supervision of the National Secretary or another National Officer if so required. Each branch will endeavour to elect two reps to their branch executives so they can be represented on the relevant committees by its two branch youth reps or two branch women’s reps. The committee will have a purely advisory role and provide a contact point for youth and women activists at each branch. A system of email and internet communications will be established to allow regular contact between committee members.
Carried by Conference
Conference Resolved: That Remit 14 be adopted.
Remit 13: Communications training and education (Wellington): That the national women and youth seminar is run as a regular
Moved: Josh Greer / Seconded: Marian Lesslie
This notes that the support of the union on an ongoing basis is contingent on the Labour Party not only understanding the issues that workers face in a deregulated market driven environment but has a social and industrial policy to match. It is essential that any future Labour-led Government supports a New Zealand Coastal Shipping and Port Policy that maintains public ownership of Ports and allows coastal shipping companies to compete on an even playing field. Conference Resolved: That Remits 12, 20, 24, 33 and first half of 34 be adopted.
Carried by Conference Remit 15: Communications training and education (Wellington): That a regular page in the Maritimes magazine be set aside for both Union Youth and Women alongside a presence on the MUNZ website and social media channels as appropriate, to feature information and news for these groups within MUNZ. Contributions will be vetted as per all other material by the Editorial Board & National Secretary. Conference Resolved: That Remit 15 be adopted. Moved: Marian Lesslie / Seconded: Josh Greer Carried by Conference Remit 16: Communications training and education (Wellington): That MUNZ women engage with NZCTU Women’s Council and asks MUNZ National Office to send a representative or join by electronic communications official national meetings of the Women’s Council as appropriate. Conference Resolved: That Remit 16 be adopted. Moved: Marian Lesslie / Seconded: Josh Greer Carried by Conference Remit 17: Communications training and education (Wellington): That MUNZ youth and MUNZ women are a vital resource for the future of MUNZ. Priority should be given at a branch level for training courses which have youth and women members in attendance. All branches to commit to holding one training course annually (or a joint course with another branch) to provide union education. Conference Resolved: That Remit 17 be adopted.
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Moved: Barbara Shaw / Seconded: Paul Napier
has representatives attend meetings in all areas throughout New Zealand.
Carried by Conference
Remit 26: Political and campaigns (Bluff): This Conference pledges the ongoing support of MUNZ to the NZCTU and Labour Party to remove all antiworker changes to the Employment Relations Act introduced by the National Government.
Remit 18: International (Wellington): MUNZ youth and MUNZ women reps to maintain communications with the MUA, MIF and ITF, to report back to the National Secretary and through MUNZ union communication channels on campaigns and events of interest to MUNZ members. Conference Resolved: That Remit 18 be adopted. Moved: Marian Lesslie / Seconded: Josh Greer Carried by Conference Remit 19: Political and Campaigns (New Plymouth): The New Plymouth Branch calls upon National Conference to discuss and support on the floor of conference that all branches adopt the resolution from our previous National Conferences re; the NZSU Seafarers Scholarship Trust that was set up for current & ex members of NZSU to further the careers of their children/grandchildren etc by way of financial grants towards University or Polytechnic. We hope all branches of MUNZ support this fantastic initiative designed to benefit generations to follow. After speakers, the New Plymouth branch agreed to a suggested amendment from the floor. Conference agreed all branches if affordable would forward a cheque for $5000 to National Office. The National Secretary would notify the NZSU Seafarers Trust of the financial contributions coming their way. Also, a change to the deed will need to happen re maritime workers in general, not only seafarers. Conference Resolved: That Remit 19 be adopted. Moved: John Whiting / Seconded: Alan Windsor Carried by Conference Remit 22: Life Membership (Tauranga): The Executive from Tauranga would like to nominate Jimmy Rosser for his lifetime contribution to the Maritime Union of New Zealand. We understand it is a late addition but due to circumstances we feel he is deserving of this award. Conference Resolved: That Remit 23 be adopted. Moved: Selwyn Russell / Seconded: Bill Connelly Carried by Conference Remits 25, 26, 28 & 29: Political Campaigning, Grouped Together Remit 25: Political and campaigns (Bluff): This Conference reaffirms its support for the Living Wage Campaign. Branches must support this campaign through the CTU local affiliates. This will require an undertaking from MUNZ that it
Remit 28: Political and campaigns (Bluff): This Conference reaffirms its opposition to the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement. That the TPPA is cloaked in secrecy, fails to address currency manipulation, labour standards are virtually unenforceable, and profit for corporations will shrink the income for working families. Remit 29: Political and campaigns (Bluff): Unions continue to stand and fight for good contracts with fair wages and conditions. The labour movement’s accomplishments have extended beyond the workplace to the community and the nation as a whole. The current government has eroded those accomplishments. The Maritime Union of New Zealand and its Branches will work with the NZCTU, Labour and its allies to oppose candidates who support anti-worker legislation. Conference Resolved: That Remits 25, 26, 28 and 29 be adopted. Moved: Barbara Shaw / Seconded: Alan Windsor Carried by Conference Remits 27, 30 & 31: Industrial Organising, Grouped Together Remit 27: Industrial and organizing (Bluff): Union density in New Zealand has declined, real wages for workers have also declined and worker protections and rights have been severely eroded. All unions must continue to organise the unorganised. The Maritime Union of New Zealand calls on all members to support organising programs by identifying potential targets and talking to potential new members about the benefits of MUNZ unionism. Remit 30: Industrial and organizing (Bluff): The Maritime Union of New Zealand has earned a reputation as a strong, progressive and democratic union. It is important that workers in the community keep thinking of MUNZ as their go to union. Therefore resolves that MUNZ continue to organise workers that are outside the wharf gate. We need to identify, plan and recruit through innovative techniques and the latest technology. Remit 31: Industrial and organizing (Auckland): Taking into regard the deregulation of the stevedoring industry throughout New Zealand ports and the number of different employers our members are employed by and the competition between stevedoring companies to secure contracts the following remit should be considered by the conference:
The 2016 Quadrennial conference should adopt and support the establishment of a National Stevedoring Code of Practice that covers all aspects of Stevedoring. This notes that a National Stevedoring Code of Practice should be developed through consultation between regulatory bodies and NZCTU affiliated unions that cover workers in the industry. To be successful a National Stevedoring Code of Practice must form part of New Zealand Maritime legislation and be enforceable. Any National Stevedoring Code of Practice would also need to contain a Fatigue Risk Management Programme that made provision for the safe rostering of workers in a twenty four hour seven day a week industry. Conference Resolved: That Remits 27, 30 and 31 be adopted. Moved: Russell Mayn / Seconded: Craig Harrison Carried by Conference Remit 32: Union Governance and Financial (Auckland): In order to maintain a current set of National Rules for the union that reflect the day to day operation of the union this conference should consider endorsing an ongoing review of the National Rules undertaken by the National Council. The goal of any such review would be to maintain the National Rules so that they are up to date and fit for purpose. The first area for consideration should be the rules governing the Returning Officer and the duties required taking into account the structures required for future elections and ballots within the union. This notes that any recommendations from the National Council regarding changes to the current rules would be required to be ratified under the current rule governing rule changes. Conference Resolved: That Remit 32 be adopted. Moved: Russell Mayn / Seconded: Hector Thorpe Carried by Conference Remit 23: Communication (Bluff): “This Conference endorses the concept of the production of a history of the New Zealand Waterfront Workers’ Union on similar lines to the NZSU history ‘Jagged Seas’ and this conference instructs national office to report at the next National Council a suggested plan and costs involved with such a publication.” Conference Resolved: That Remit 23 be adopted. Moved: Barabara Shaw / Seconded: Bill Connelly. Carried by Conference Remit 21: Industrial (Tauranga): To see if MUNZ can have a data-base for seafarers similar to the Australian model that allows for a seafarer
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to go online to see where they are on the list, so as to arrange other employment whilst awaiting redeployment to another vessel. We understand that there are varying reasons for one to be chosen above another when being selected, with having the right tickets needed being one of them. But there was a general discussion that this could be attained. Conference Resolved: That Remit 21 be declined. Moved: Peter Harvey / Seconded: Selwyn Russell Carried by Conference Remit 9: (Wellington): No foreign labour shall be hired when over 150 on our database, officials should be chasing Immigration Department. It is said that Interislander is an accredited company with Immigration, and can bring people from overseas as long as they advertise the job. Immigration Department should have to get in touch with Union before they give out Visas to anyone. Company should have to tell Union they are after staff. English test should be discussed at the next round. CONFERENCE NOTES: It is Union policy that no foreign labour should be hired when local workforce is available. Conference Resolved: That Remit 9 is rejected due to being unfactual and bordering on racism. Moved: Alan Windsor / Seconded: Mick Williams Carried by Conference
Remits to be Addressed at May National Council 2017 National Conference agreed that any Remits sent to national council MUST BE RESOLVED at the May 2017 National Council and cannot be deferred to a later date.
Remit 3 (Union Governance and Financial): Part 2 The Wellington Branch notes: that rule 12 of the Union Rules heading “National Conference” 12.3 refers to “representation is reviewed on a national basis by the National Conference/ National Council” The Wellington Branch asks Conference to review and address clause 12.3 eg no Branch/ local shall have more than 4 delegates. To be based on the matrix in the rules as recorded in clause 12.2 (full stop after delegates) and amend according. And also notes: the same discussion and debate is needed about the number of branch delegates that attend National Councils. Remit 4 (Union Governance and Financial): The number of National Councils held per year: A few questions from the Wellington Branch to the National Conference. We believe a National Council meeting costs the Union about 30K eg 60K per year. With the existing numbers of MUNZ is it financially viable to have two National Councils per year, or one meeting every second year having a national council meeting and national conference in the same year as 2016? We understand all branches pay a capitation fee to National Office but that is not just for national council meetings, more in line with the running of the Union. If the above was to happen could that money be spent in any other way e.g. to organise and grow MUNZ along with the use of telephone/video conference calling etc, the branch would like the merits of the above for and discussed and debated at National Conference. Remit 5 (Union Governance and Financial) The Wellington Branch calls upon the National Conference to address the issue of delegates to Conference eg when you look at the branch numbers submitted to national council, we note
one branch has about 85% to 90% permanent and gets 2 delegates with 248 members based on the matrix in the rules and another branch has about 85 to 90% casuals with 251 members with 3 delegates. We call upon conference to sort out what we believe is an anomaly in our rules when National Office informs branches of their delegate(s) numbers to Conference based on the matrix in the rules / branch numbers, not the make up of the branch numbers. Remit 11 (Union Governance and Financial) The question of voting and representation of Seafarers in MUNZ has come up constantly since the amalgamation. There is a growing concern that seafarers are not able to vote on issues outside of their port while working on various vessels around the coast. It is the wish of Wellington Branch seafarers of Kaitaki ‘A’ Crew to push forward with a concept to allow voting rights for all members on all vessels they work on, REGARDLESS of branch affiliation. The North have already introduced a concept to cover Northern branches, hence why this Remit is being put forward because of the evolving nature of the organisation. A similar concept was tabled at our last conference. This issue has come about on various occasions at shipboard level and was highlighted today as only 14 members out of 21 present at our meeting could vote. Remit 23 (Communications) “This Conference endorses the concept of the production of a history of the New Zealand Waterfront Workers’ Union on similar lines to the NZSU history ‘Jagged Seas’ and this conference instructs national office to report at the next National Council a suggested plan and costs involved with such a publication.”
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Methyl Bromide A Danger to Workers & Community did they further investigate them? It would be unfair on workers at Port of Tauranga to not be informed of these incidents when they happen, considering our possible exposure to methyl bromide. If Genera is going to safely conduct the log fumigation process, it must comply with the legally binding conditions contained within the consent from the Environmental Protection Agency. The most important requirement in managing methyl bromide’s toxic effect is the establishment of quantitative measures of its toxicity. The consent given to Genera was on the basis of low levels of gas being present in the atmosphere, at 1ppm at the port boundary and a workplace exposure limit of 5ppm.
BY SELWYN RUSSELL & PETER HARVEY SECRETARY & PRESIDENT, TAURANGA MUNZ in Tauranga is deeply unhappy and dissatisfied with the existing safety processes surrounding methyl bromide, the highly toxic gas used to fumigate logs at our port. We feel workers are being put at risk, and we do not believe this is an issue limited to our area. It is disappointing we have not yet had a face to face meeting with Worksafe NZ about this issue. There have been valid and immediate concerns raised by our members, the Environment Court and members of the public over how this poison is continuing to be used, including at a mass public meeting on February 16th. The Environment Court ruled last year against a company called Envirofume being permitted to start using the gas commercially, in large part because of serious concerns over whether workers and the community are safe around it. Genera is the main company currently using methyl bromide, and through the Environment Court case we learned that tests conducted at the port boundary found levels of gas in the air that significantly exceeded safe limits. The court, and we as a union, are also deeply disturbed by the lack of any independent constant monitoring system of gas levels.
From a union point of view, this may mean that our members and other workers have already had their health negatively affected in the long term. Comments on Genera’s own testing state at 122 of the judgement that “in relation to instantaneous measurement the practical concern is ensuring that an independent person undertakes the measurement”. This leads us to the Genera audit report, which displayed some disconcerting information in relation to monitoring methods and measurements. The legal consent for Genera to operate requires that an instantaneous level of one part per million cannot be exceeded. It is clear from the paper we have seen that this has been seriously exceeded on many occasions. Measurements of up to 63ppm have been recorded through instantaneous measurement at the port boundary, and measurements as high as 221ppm have been recorded (using an MX6 gas monitor), for reasons that were not explained. With these dangerously excessive gas levels recorded by the court at our port, surely there is a legal obligation for Genera to notify Worksafe about them under section 56 of the Health and Safety at Work Act? And if Worksafe was notified about the incidents,
These are low levels of concentration of the gas, and probably reflect the lack of certain knowledge about how lethal the gas is on contact with humans, at what specific levels. Genera must constantly and effectively monitor gas levels at the port. This program is essential to it complying with the terms of its EPA consent, and it is essential for us to know how much poisonous gas workers have been exposed to over time. We need to know the time weighted average of accumulated exposure, and it needs to be independently verified. Anything less is not good enough. Workplace New Zealand must monitor Genera’s compliance, and we as a union must hold them all accountable. How many methyl bromide fumigations are conducted by Genera each year? Why is there no independent entity constantly monitoring gas levels at the port? Are annual reports of gas levels being given to the regulatory agencies? The workers and people in the community most closely exposed to the gas have little or no information given to them by the company and regulatory agencies. Under these circumstances, how can we keep each other safe? The Environment Court has stated the court was told by expert witnesses “a fatal dose would be 250 ppm for approximately 30 minutes, and…
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anything in the 50 to 60 ppm is worrying”. Many port employees work well in excess of twelve hours a day, lengthening possible exposure times. Has this been taken into consideration by the company and the regulatory agencies? The long term sub-lethal effects on workers’ health through accumulation of gas in their bodies may not be known for many years, and may be hard to prove. However, the Maritime Union has over many
years campaigned for the complete removal of Methyl Bromide from the atmosphere based on the health risks alone. Our union values the importance of the log trade to the economy and jobs. That cannot, however, be at the expense of health and safety for workers. The current method of releasing methyl bromide into the atmosphere after completing fumigation is unnecessary, outdated and unsafe. It is urgently
necessary to implement methods of totally recapturing the gas, where it can be reduced in a sealed environment to a salt-like substance that can then be safely disposed of. Anything less will continue to put the safety of workers and our community at risk. These issues have been raised directly with Worksafe and Genera. We will keep you informed and up to date with the outcome.
Letters to the Editor The Present and the Future
treating every member with the same respect as all others so as to keep us unified.
Dear sir,
Since voluntary unionism brought non-union workforces and since the Waterfront Industry Commission came to an end we have had to struggle, not only to entice people to join us but to make sure we are delivering a good service to them while a member.
BY PHIL ADAMS
I am in the last few years of my working life, having had only two jobs. The first was as a fitter with the Union Company in the Port Chalmers dry dock, and when that closed I joined the waterfront and have been there for over forty years. I would not change anything if I had my time over again. When I first started union membership was compulsory and up until unionism became voluntary our union (then the Waterside Workers Federation) was an extremely powerful organization which through unity amongst its membership achieved very good wages and conditions for our members. We had strong leadership, strong delegates and executives who represented their members extremely well, and I was lucky to be able to attempt to copy and learn from these leaders. This has kept our branch still functioning effectively through all the changes that have taken place, still achieving good wages and conditions and always
We are now in the 21st century, but a lot of unions remain stuck in the 20th century with our old-style attitudes and sayings which just do not resonate with most of the members we have now. For a lot of them, by joining us they are joining the first union they have ever been in, and it shows. Some ports like ourselves are struggling with the affiliation fees and expecting members to pay more is just not on in these times, so really the National side of our union need to look at some aspects of expenditure like sending people to overseas conferences. Although it is great for the official attending it does nothing for the members I represent and others in our union. The National Executive needs to be looked at, is it an effective tool in our organization? Whatever is discussed
and agreed there, most ports just go back to their ports and effectively do what they like and that is well known. I am sorry but most of our members today are in our union for good wages and conditions based on our reputation, but with a lot of experienced officials leaving soon through retirement the future for our union from my angle does not look good until we leave the 20th century behind us and modernize. I have no doubt a lot will not like this, but take a deep breath and have a good look around. Unless we change we are about to become extinct. I have no doubt some will poo poo this as ‘fancy daring to tell us to change’ and perhaps I should just say nothing, retire in a few years and sit and watch the carnage. My observations here are based on my personal experience working with our members and listening to what they say, so if you think what is stated here is not right then you have your head in the sand.
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2017 Interport Sports
Triumphant Lyttelton Golfers
BY RUSSELL MAYN AUCKLAND BRANCH SECRETARY Originally printed in the Port News. The 2017 Interport Sports tournament was held in Dunedin between the 5th and 9th of February, sponsored by the Port Chalmers Branch. First of all, our thanks to Local 10 for a very professionally managed event, there is a considerable amount of work required both behind the scenes and at the coalface to host a successful tournament. Interport sport tournaments started when all waterside workers were employed by the Waterfront Commission and members were allocated their work under the Bureau Labour Allocation System. This was before the proliferation of containerisation and the number of waterside workers across the ports was far greater than the number in the industry today. There were over two thousand watersiders in the Port of Auckland alone, and this did not include Harbour Workers.
The tournament in those days held a wide diversity of events including Golf, Fishing, Athletics, Bowls, Cricket, Darts, Pool, Snooker and this list is not exhaustive. The field of competitors was enormous and the competition was fierce. The tournament was designed to bring union members and visitors from all of the branches to meet and compete. We realised many years ago that the union was not just a format to represent workers and improve their working conditions; to be successful it had to be political and social as well. An annual sports tournament was one of the answers. Members travelled to a different Port every year and the hosting alternated between the South and North Island branches. Friendships made during these tournaments have outlasted all the changes to our industry.
conceived to divide us and alienate us from the unity that has always kept us in good stead. Personally, I do not know of any other union in New Zealand that still supports such a tournament. Our union was formed through an amalgamation of a number of organisations, and plays a definitive role in protecting workers terms and conditions. We are uncompromising in our goal of maintaining healthy and safe workplaces for our members. As automation and modern logistic systems reduce the number of workers across all our industries, as a union we need to make conscious decisions about the strategies we put in place. The future of the Interport Sports Tournament should remain a priority for our organisation. Moving into the future, we will face challenges to maintain this tournament as a successful event and indeed make it flourish for members to enjoy for many years to come.
Meeting workers from other ports brings everyone in the union closer together.
We all know it is difficult to get annual leave at certain times of the year, and there is an increasing expense involved in attending the Tournament.
Attacks on the Maritime Union of New Zealand are
However, the week is a great experience.
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Whilst highly competitive the focus is on comradeship and the many social functions planned during the week are the backbone of the tournament. It’s here that tall tales are bandied about and the humour rolls out. Maritime humour is unique to the people involved in our industry, past and present. Port Chalmers, Local 10 excelled as hosts. Both the Golf and the Fishing were highly organised, along with the two social nights at Port Chalmers. Thanks must also go out to the fishermen who supplied and cooked a veritable feast of fresh seafood. Local 10 really turned the weather on for us, or was this a case of solidarity from a higher place?
Lastly congratulations to all those who were successful especially to the Lyttelton Branch, Local 43 who won the Kerekere Canoe 36 hole, 3 Gross, 3 Nett teams event in the Golf. A great achievement as it had been some forty years since they last held the trophy.
Second Place: Paul Wilson
PORT CHALMERS
Third Place: Garry Gallagher
The weather turned out to be better than expected.
Special thanks to Port Otago, Wallace Investments, East Coast Bays Carriers and all the boys that made their boats available for the occasion; Ants Smith, Paul Council, Ken Olsen, Dave Perkins and Ron Lee. Without their sponsorship this would be a hard event to hold.
Over four days we had 23 contestants; three from Auckland, three from Lyttelton, one from Wellington and sixteen from Port Chalmers.
Largest trumpeter: John Johnston 3lbs 1oz
A very special moment for all those involved with Interport Sports over many years.
Winner, biggest tale: Wayne Welsh
2017 interport Fishing
This should not be difficult, all we need to do is make sure that the many different sectors within our union realise first that the Interport Sport Tournament is alive and well, and secondly that we all make the effort to put a week aside and take part in what is undeniably an excellent weeks entertainment.
It was a pleasure to be at the tournament, especially to witness George Ward receive his Interport Sport Life Membership.
Port News Vets Shield: Wayne Welsh for the Largest cod Winner hard luck story: The Lyttelton boys
Day One
So for all the Golfers and Fisherpersons out there be in like Flynn. Family members and visitors are all welcome.
Wallace Investments Trophy: Port Chalmers
I look forward to seeing everyone in New Plymouth in 2018.
The challenge for us as we go forward is to make sure the tournament maintains good entry numbers.
The 2018 sports tournament will be held in New Plymouth, the date for the tournament will be published in the union magazines.
Winners
Largest blue cod: Garry Gallagher 4lbs 2 oz Largest groper: Phil Simonson 5lbs 9oz
Winner, largest fish: Ray Munce
The unluckiest fishermen were Lyttelton, who were too late to weigh in and had to fillet their fish and take photos. Sorry boys, next time better be on time! Maybe we’ll let you weigh in the next day.
Day Two Largest blue cod: Ryan Olsen 5lbs 3 oz
Top Right: Ray Munce Bottom Right: Wayne “The Goat” Welsh and Dot Giles Bottom Left: Harry Mayn
Jock Steward & John Johnston: Runners up at 3lbs 3oz Largest Fish: Barracoota caught by Garry Gallagher 8lbs 5 oz Day 3 Largest blue cod: Phil Simons 3lbs 6 oz Largest fish: Barrcouta Wayne Welsh 8lbs 4 oz Day 4 Largest blue cod: Wayne Welsh 6lbs Largest groper: Ray Munce 17lbs 8oz Largest fish: Ray Munce groper 17lbs 8oz
www.munz.org.nz
The Maritimes | Autumn 2017 | 29
What’s the Best Way to Save for Your Retirement? No two individuals’ financial situation or investment objectives are the same, so to cater for a range of differing needs most retirement schemes offer a number of investment portfolios for members to choose from. The Maritime Retirement Scheme currently gives members the choice of investing in a balanced or a conservative portfolio of assets. The balanced portfolio has about 65% invested in growth assets, primarily shares, and 35% in income assets, primarily bonds, while the conservative portfolio has only about 20% invested in growth assets with the remaining 80% invested in income assets. Growth assets are expected to give higher returns than income assets but tend to be more volatile. Accordingly the balanced portfolio is expected to give higher returns long term than the conservative portfolio but the returns of the conservative portfolio are expected to be steadier with less risk of capital losses. In designing these portfolios, the MRS trustees received advice that • the balanced portfolio has an expected net return after tax, based on a 2% inflation rate, of 4.6% (2.6% after inflation) while the conservative portfolio has an expected net return after tax of 2.9% (0.9% after inflation) • the balanced portfolio is expected to incur a loss one year in four years while the conservative portfolio is expected to incur a loss one year in nine years. This article has been prepared by AMP, one of MRS’s fund managers, and looks at the factors to consider when choosing between the two options. Investment goals It’s difficult to choose the right investment strategy or portfolio unless you are clear about your investment goals and timeframe. Questions to ask yourself include what level of return you are seeking, how much risk do you feel comfortable taking, and how long you will be investing for? Determining your specific goals and your investment timeframe will help you identify the type of portfolio that is suitable and how much risk you can take. Investment objectives There are a number of factors to consider when choosing the type of portfolio in which to invest. Safety of capital, current income and investing goals are factors that will influence an investment decision and will depend on your age, life stage and personal circumstances. As a general rule, the shorter your time horizon, the more conservative you should be. An investor in or nearing retirement will be more interested in preserving the value of their investment and won’t want too much volatility. A younger investor, on the other hand, can afford to be more aggressive and take more risk with their investment strategy. This is because they have plenty of time on their side to make up for any losses that might occur along the way. Your overall financial position will also affect your objectives and needs to be factored into the investment decision-making. For some people an investment may be only a small part of their total wealth, while for others it might be all they have for their retirement. Risk tolerance Your attitude to risk is a critical factor to consider before investing. ‘Risk’ in this sense is the chance an investment won’t give you the outcome you want.
Higher potential returns usually come with higher risks – this is because the funds and assets that offer higher returns are generally more volatile than those producing lower returns. There are many ‘risk profilers’ or questionnaires around to help you work out what your tolerance for risk might be. The trouble is, risk profile questionnaires are often blunt tools and one size does not fit all. Risk tolerance is very personal, with an emotional component that can also influence investment decions, and may change over time. As you become older, there is less time to recover from poor investment results and your appetite to take risk may change — but your wealth and circumstances will probably change too. The important thing is to understand the risks and then keep within a level you are comfortable with. Diversifying risk It’s impossible to avoid all risks when you invest and although taking some risk is essential to making money, it is possible to control the amount of risk you take. Diversifying your investment portfolio by investing in a variety of assets helps reduce the overall risk. This is because different types of assets perform at different times, so if one investment performs poorly over a certain period, other investments may perform better over that same period, helping smooth out the returns of your overall investment portfolio. Conclusion The choice of investment fund will depend on your age, your retirement goals, how comfortable you are with investment risk and how long before you are able to access your funds. This will determine what balance of risk and return, and therefore choice of portfolio, is appropriate. There are some core factors that determine risk tolerance, but every individual’s situation is different and the important point is that an investment is not the same to all people. The right investment fund for you is one that suits your personal risk profile, investment goals and comfort levels. Important notice: This document has been prepared to provide general information and does not constitute ‘financial advice’ for the purposes of the Financial Advisors Act 2008 (Act). An individual investor should, before making any investment decisions, consider the information available in the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and seek professional advice. While every care has been taken in the preparation of this document, AMP Capital Investors (New Zealand) Limited and the AMP Group (together, ‘AMP’) make no guarantee that the information supplied is accurate, complete or timely and do not make any warranties or representations in respect of results gained from its use. The information is not intended to infer that current or past returns are indicative of future returns. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of AMP. These views are subject to change depending on market conditions and other factors.
30 | The Maritimes | Autumn 2017
www.munz.org.nz
New Ratings Certificate Requirements
BY HECTOR THORPE AUCKLAND BRANCH PRESIDENT Validity Maritime New Zealand confirm all rating certificates will remain valid in NZ and will not expire. You are not required to be Ring-fenced or required to transition to SeaCert, however unless you are retiring soon MUNZ recommends members transition through the SeaCert program. AB’s and pre 2014 IR’s For members with (ILO) or (STCW) accredited AB’s tickets, these will remain valid under Maritime New Zealand rules. The same rules apply to members with pre 2014 IR Certificates. Members with these certificates can still proceed through the SeaCert program should they desire or should their shipping company require it. ABs with a record training task book can progress towards Engine Room Watch Rating (EWR). After providing documented evidence of engine room experience, pre 2014 IR’s can transition to the new ‘higher level IR certificate’ enabling them to serve as AB Deck and AB Engine. AB’s and pre 2014 IR’s ancillary requirements From 1st July 2017 (final deadline date) you must have completed a training course (either a full course or a refresher) within the last five years for the below ancillary certificates, and will need to attend a refresher course every five years. - Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boat other than Fast Rescue Boats (PISC)
- Fire fighting
- Is over 1000GT and operates in the unlimited area
Some Shipping Companies may require certification training over and above those levels.
A Ship’s Cook Certificate (SCC) will be issued for a period of five years.
Deck Watch Rating and Engine Watch Rating
To attain a SCC you must meet the following requirements:
All ratings certificates, regardless of when they were issued, will never expire. From 1st July 2017 (final deadline date) you must have completed a training course (either a full course or a refresher) within the last five years for the below ancillary certificates and will need to attend a refresher course every five years. - Personal survival techniques - Fire fighting Some Shipping Companies may require certification training over and above those levels. Trainees New entrance trainees with a Trainee Record Training Book will progress towards Deck Watch Rating (DWR) and Engine Watch Rating (EWR). They can then progress to the higher level IR certificate enabling them to serve as AB Deck and AB Engine. To do this they will need to complete the training course as well as meet the sea service and ancillary requirements. Catering: Cook The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) will come into effect in New Zealand on 09 March 2017. From that date, all ships that meet the below criteria must have a qualified ship’s cook on board who holds a ship’s cook certificate (SCC).
- NZQA Level 3 NZ Certificate in Cookery, or equivalent - STCW basic training, (personal survival and firefighting less than five years old) Other ancillary requirements, first aid and personal safety and social responsibly. A PISC certificate is now not required. Some Shipping Companies may require certification training over and above those levels. Catering: Steward Maritime NZ have no requirements. Some Shipping Companies may require certification training over and above those levels. Endorsements Endorsements issued with your certification will remain valid and will not expire even if it has an expiry date. Acknowledgement Through his professional relationship with Maritime New Zealand, National Secretary Joe Fleetwood won important deadline extensions for the membership and ensured a pragmatic approach was achieved throughout the introduction of new maritime rules changes.
- Has a crew of 10 or more www.munz.org.nz
The Maritimes | Autumn 2017 | 31
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