Maritime Union supports major port stoppages in USA and Iraq against war

The Mar­itime Union of New Zealand has con­grat­u­lat­ed mar­itime work­ers in USA and in Iraq for work stop­pages on May Day (1 May) against the Iraq War.

More than 25,000 long­shore work­ers at 29 west coast ports in the USA called an end to the war in Iraq on May 1 by stay­ing at home. The work­ers were mem­bers of the ILWU, the water­front union on the west coast of the USA, which has strong links to the Mar­itime Union of New Zealand.

Maritime Union welcomes release of 1951 lockout papers

The Mar­itime Union of New Zealand has wel­comed the release of secret SIS papers on the 1951 water­front lock­out to Archives New Zealand.

Mar­itime Union Gen­er­al Sec­re­tary Trevor Han­son says the 1951 water­front lock­out was the most sig­nif­i­cant indus­tri­al event in liv­ing mem­o­ry in New Zealand.

He says the Mar­itime Union still counts vet­er­ans of the 1951 dis­pute amongst its retired mem­bers.