     |
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
           Shipping Stevedoring Port Services Hydrocarbons Diving  Sep-Oct 2008        |
|
MUA delegation to Napier picket16 December 2007By MUA news -
Three ships turn away as a Maritime Union delegation joins a picket in Napier New Zealand MUA delegates have joined a round the clock picket at the gates of the Port of Napier, which has been running since 6am Saturday Victoria Deputy Branch Secretary Dave Scheibs led a group of five rank and file MUA members from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to the troubled port on Saturday. "The local people were rapt that the MUA are here," said Dave. "We've had our flags flying and been letting the shipping lines know what's going on.Three ships refused to come into the port today." The Port of Napier has contracted out stevedoring work to a private company employing non union labour, threatening 25 permanent and 60 casual jobs at Hawkes' Bay Stevedoring Services. MUA Assistant National Secrertary Rick Newlyn is co-ordinating the solidarity action from Sydney. "NYK, Maersk Line don't want a bar of it. They say it's got nothing to do with efficiency," he said. "It's madness. The scab labour can't even drive the cranes." Attention is now focussed on Hapag-Lloyd which has a ship due into the port tomorrow. Unions have also contacted the International Transport Workers' Federation. The Australian delegation is among 120 workers protesting and includes delegations from around New Zealand ports. Protestors have been threatened with trespass notices by Port of Napier and Ontrack, who own land on the Napier waterfront. Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says there have been no arrests on the picket and the only dangerous incident occurred when a vehicle carrying non-union workers refused to stop for a police officer on Saturday morning. "The port company don't want to be publicly reminded that their actions will directly lead to job losses with local workers right over the Christmas period. They're not going to shut us up and workers will continue to defend their right to secure jobs." Mr Hanson says the picket has received good support from the Hawkes' Bay community and will continue over the next several days. Mediation between the Maritime Union and Port Company will carry on next week. Port of Napier campaign website: http://www.portofnapier.info
For further information
Public News: You can view MUA's publicly available news in a variety of ways. Please select one of our public news indexes. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
  |
    |
This page: http://mua.org.au/news/general/napirdelo.html Site proudly designed and engineered by Social Change Online |
© 2001 Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) |
