The Issue 22 • July 2008 MaritimesMagazine of the Maritime Union of New Zealand ISSN 1176-3418 www.munz.org.nz Global Solidarity The Maritimes | July 2008 | DANGER 2008 is election year. As workers, your rights and jobs will be under threat from a National Government. Under National: • Employers would have the right to dismiss you unfairly when you are starting a job • You could be forced to sell your fourth week of annual leave • Vulnerable workers would lose rights to keep their jobs after a business was sold or transferred • Employers could force you on to individual agreements • ACC would be privatised • Statutory holiday pay could be cut • Your Union rights would be reduced • Benefits and Working for Families would be cut Don’t vote National. 2 | The Maritimes | July 2008 www.munz.org.nz EDITORIAL We need to set the political agenda by Victor Billot Edition 22, July 2008 It is no coincidence that those unions who have best held ground Contents in difficult times here and abroad are those which have been active and militant. Strong and member-driven unions improve Editorial and contents 3 wages and conditions for all workers. General Secretary’s report 4 There is another role for unions: a political role. Unions need to be Update from National President 5 May Day action in USA page 8 News 6 defining what organized working people want and fighting for it. International news 8 We have members of our union reliant on foodbanks to get CTU 10 through the week. We have members of our union who have been Election: enrol to vote 11 trapped for a decade or more in casual jobs in their ports. CAFCA: Who owns New Zealand? 12 The situation for a large group of deunionized, young, casual ITF 13 workers is far worse. MUA 2008 Conference 14 These may be uncomfortable topics in election year. But as a un- Mining and Maritime 18 ion we need to go on the offensive and demand something better Union History 26 Blackball ‘08 centenary 28 for workers. We need to set the agenda. Port roundups 30 These problems are not going to solved simply through increas- ing productivity, or gathering a larger number of crumbs from the ‘The Maritimes’ is published quarterly by employer’s table. the Maritime Union of New Zealand. It is obvious we need a high technology, highly skilled workforce. MUA Conference page 14 But is the point of this exercise to pay for the inflated salaries of Authorized by Trevor Hanson, senior managers and dividends to shareholders? 220 Willis Street, Wellington. Or is it to reduce working hours, increase wages, ensure a safe ISSN 1176-3418 workplace, and invest in the society we all live in? The distribution of the wealth produced by society remains a key National Office: question. PO Box 27004 This is a question of priorities. It is a hard question and a politi- Wellington cal question. As long as we have a global society where economic New Zealand power is controlled by a minority and based on free market capi- Telephone: 04 3850 792 talism, then workers will always be under attack. Fax: 04 3848 766 This is an uncomfortable reality that many career politicians do Email: [email protected] Contact the Web: www.munz.org.nz not like acknowledging. Maritime Union So, what are the political goals for the maritime industry we Editor: should demand? Here are some suggestions: National Office Victor Billot •A nationwide registry of trained maritime workers, and port- Telephone: 04 3850 792 Mobile: 021 482219 Fax: 04 3848 766 based labour pools to end casualization and create a career path Fax: 09 9251125 Address: PO Box 27004, Wellington •The introduction of cabotage and investigation of public-owned Email: [email protected] Office administrator: Ramesh Pathmanathan shipping (compare with the railways) Mail: PO Box 339, Dunedin Email: [email protected] • The commitment that ports will not be privatized, and the New Zealand national co-ordination of ports to avoid wasteful duplication of General Secretary: Trevor Hanson Editorial Board: infrastructure and the destructive competition in this sector Direct dial: 04 8017 614 Trevor Hanson, Phil Adams, Garry Parsloe • A much higher level of safety on the job, based on tougher Mobile: 021 390585 and Russell Mayn regulations and a tuneup of the bureaucracy – our lives are more Email: [email protected] important than employers’ profits Deadline for all Port reports, submissions, National President: Phil Adams • Regulation to ensure that New Zealand seafarers are employed photos and letters: Direct dial: 03 4728 052 in the offshore oil, gas and mining sector – and that those resources 1 September 2008 for next edition Mobile: 0274 377601 are not controlled by global corporations to our disadvantage. Email: [email protected] Cover photo: Delegates and international There are some general issues that should be on the table as well: delegates at the Maritime Union of • Housing is unaffordable for young people. National Vice President: Garry Parsloe Australia 2008 Conference, Sydney, • Our taxation system is hard on workers. GST is a regressive Direct dial: 09 3032 562 Australia, April 2008. Photo courtesy of tax and should be phased out to help with the cost of living. This Mobile: 021 326261 the MUA. Email: [email protected] would be a “tax cut” that means something. For more online photos, see • On the issue of wages, the minimum wage needs to go up to at www.flickr.com/maritimeunion Assistant General Secretary: Russell Mayn least $15 an hour. Even then many will struggle. Direct dial: 09 3034 652 • Education is another key issue as student debt continues to rise Thanks to our photographers including Mobile: 021 760886 Jay, Luke Appleby, Terry Ryan, Gerard to around $10 billion. Email: [email protected] Hill, and others The Maritime Union is well-placed to make a difference. We are not a large union in numbers, but we are a large union ITF Inspectorate: Grahame McLaren in quality. We need to do our part in leading the fight in election Direct dial: 04 8017 613 Mobile: 021 2921782 year – and every year – for working people. Email: [email protected] In today’s individual world where people have lost their political and social awareness, it is a tough job, but we are up to the task. Communications Officer: Victor Billot Mobile: 021 482219 Fax: 09 9251125 Address: PO Box 339, Dunedin Email: [email protected] www.munz.org.nz The Maritimes | July 2008 | COMMENT Building a strong and well-resourced union This would ensure the independence of Ship inspections strong locals and branches, but would al- Recently both Joe Fleetwood and I have low the union to operate in a more efficient been regular visitors on vessels in the Port way. of Wellington, accompanying Grahame This includes ensuring that all members of McLaren in his ITF inspection duties. the union receive a high level of serv- My observations are that since I used to do ice, which can be a problem if there is a inspections at the Port of Timaru way back division between larger, well-resourced in the late seventies and early eighties, the branches and smaller branches with a changes are the extreme cleanliness, mod- limited ability to provide all the backup ern cabins, crew facilities and food quality. members need. Of course, way back then we still had Some of the other goals identified were the many European crewed vessels with up to need to support and encourage youth and 40 to 50 crew, and very few ships were in veterans, put in place a growth strategy very good condition. to build membership, and ensure a stable The vessels we have recently been visiting transition period over the next 10 years. have crews of 18 to 20. by Trevor Hanson Our membership has a large group facing On our arrival they are always very polite General Secretary retirement over this period and it is vital but make sure they are not seen by the of- that their knowledge and experience is ficers engaging in discussions with us. union executive looks at changes passed on to the next generation. When we ask them if every thing is OK, The union is calling an extra executive The national executive of the union dis- they always smile and say yes, but in meeting this winter in order to progress many cases things are not what they seem. cussed a new proposal for modernizing this renewal process and to finalize our our union at our May 2008 meeting in No doubt they are extremely frightened election year strategy for returning a for their jobs, as they are competing Wellington. worker friendly government. This proposal seeks to ensure a strong against a multitude of workers world-wide World events are about to play a major role for employment, and often these same and well-resourced Maritime Union and in our day to day employment. started some good debate and discussion crew will contact us from the next port The rapidly rising price of oil will cause us with a variety of complaints. from those at the meeting. untold problems as the shipping compa- Some of the key matters discussed by nies start to really hurt. MUA conference the executive were proposals to move to This is a time to work closely together and “national funding” and a stronger national ensure all our resources are directed to A strong delegation from the Maritime Un- structure. ensure correct national decisions. ion of New Zealand recently attended the Maritime Union of Australia Conference Mount Maunganui Tauranga Branch and the Mining and Maritime Conference in Sydney in April 2008.