Port of Napier Campaign 2007

London 15 November 2007: International Transport Workers’ Federation Dockers Section Committee Motion of Support of the Maritime Union of New Zealand

The ITF Dockers’ Section Committee meeting held in London on 15 November representing more than 190 Dockers Unions in 200 countries organising some 400,000 dockers and port workers;

Notes with concern that the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) informed the meeting that the management of the Port of Napier is handing over container stevedoring to the anti-union stevedore ISO at the end of the year 2007,

Further notes with great concern that this development is leading to job losses of union members and Casualization of port labour, this resulting in ‘ports of convenience’ within New Zealand,

Regrets that initiatives developed by the Maritime Union of New Zealand, its members and leadership, to reach a mutually negotiated agreement have not been answered by the Port of Napier management,

Supports the Maritime Union of New Zealand in its efforts to negotiate a settlement with all parties involved to the benefit of the workers,

Calls upon the management of the Port of Napier to reconsider its position,

Resolves that the Secretariat monitors the developments in the Port of Napier closely and in due course responds in the most militant way to support the Maritime Union of New Zealand by all lawful means of international solidarity.