Global solidarity actions shut down Port of Napier

The Mar­itime Union of New Zealand has claimed a major vic­to­ry in its bat­tle to save secure local jobs at the Port of Napi­er.

The con­tain­er ves­sel Can­ber­ra Express left the Port of Napi­er last night (Wednes­day 19 Decem­ber) at approx­i­mate­ly 11pm with no car­go dis­charged after sit­ting idle at the port.

Mar­itime Union Gen­er­al Sec­re­tary Trevor Han­son says this is a major devel­op­ment in the dis­pute and a vic­to­ry for local work­ers.

“The ship was­n’t worked. Ships are now going past Napi­er and will con­tin­ue to go past Napi­er, until agree­ment is reached that no jobs will be lost.”

Mr Han­son says that fol­low­ing mas­sive inter­na­tion­al sup­port from glob­al trans­port Unions, the ship own­er had decid­ed to take the ves­sel to Aus­tralia with­out it being worked in the Port of Napi­er, due to the esca­lat­ing indus­tri­al sit­u­a­tion in the port.

“The dam­age to the local econ­o­my and rep­u­ta­tion of the port is unnec­es­sary, and is a direct result of the man­age­ment at the port decid­ing to launch an aggres­sive attack on secure local jobs.”

Mr Han­son says local work­ers have no place to go, and the Mar­itime Union and its inter­na­tion­al affil­i­ates were com­mit­ted to ongo­ing action.

Medi­a­tion between man­age­ment and the Union con­tin­ues today with New Zealand Coun­cil of Trade Unions Pres­i­dent Helen Kel­ly arriv­ing in Napi­er to join the medi­a­tion.

Moves by the Port of Napi­er to con­tract out steve­dor­ing work threat­en 25 per­ma­nent and 60 casu­al jobs at Hawkes’ Bay Steve­dor­ing Ser­vices, in what the Union says is a move to destroy secure local jobs and under­mine wages and con­di­tions.

A con­tin­u­ous pick­et has been held at the port gates around the clock since 6am Sat­ur­day 15 Decem­ber with local work­ers being joined by del­e­ga­tions of mar­itime work­ers from around New Zealand and Aus­tralian ports.