The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions has backed the Maritime Union’s campaign to save 85 jobs on the Port of Napier, following a decision by the Hawkes Bay Regional Council owned Port company to change stevedoring contractors, without securing employment protections for the current workers.
“The loyal, long serving dock workers on the Port of Napier deserve better,” CTU president Helen Kelly said today.
“The company has given no guarantee that the current workers will be employed by the new contractor, and if they are it is almost certain their wages and conditions will be reduced,” Helen Kelly said.
“These workers are not disposable units that can be tossed about in the pursuit of a quick buck, they are members of families, and of the Napier community.”
“The Council of Trade Unions National Affiliates Council expressed its extreme concern over the recent action at its meeting last month. Affiliates representing the over 300,000 members of the CTU pledged their ongoing support.”
“We call on the owners of the Port to consider the impact on the local workforce and community that would result out of this decision, and reconsider their decision,” Helen Kelly said.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Brian Byas (RMTU Port Lyttelton) // Dec 17, 2007 at 7:26 am
Solidarity to our brothers on the waterfront in Napier.
The disgusting actions of the Port Company in Napier to axe these long time workers is just another example of the 1990s attitudes that still remain in management in the waterfront industry. A danerous attitude that if it is not stop will become a creeping rot that will infest other ports in this country. We must stand up to this not only for the Napier Port workers but for the rest of the port workers around the country who could well be next as this rogue employer will , if it sees an opportunity move on other ports & try & provide services at lower cost. The lower cost, of course being a lower paid workforce with adverse conditions & little union protection.
Put simply this is a sign of things to come should the government change in 2008.
We must get the messgae out in the next few months that National should come clean with the industrial relations policies for all to see.
2 Liz Leader // Dec 17, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Thanks Brian for your support, we will stay strong …The Workers United Will Never Be Defeated
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