International maritime workers represented at Maritime Union 2009 Conference

Mari­time work­ers from around the world have gathered in Wel­ling­ton this week as the Mari­time Uni­on of New Zea­l­and holds its third tri­en­ni­al con­fer­ence.

The three day con­fer­ence sets the agenda for the next three years of the Uni­on and runs through to Thursday 29 Octo­ber.

The con­fer­ence was opened this morn­ing by Lead­er of the Oppos­i­tion Phil Goff.

Del­eg­ates and observ­ers from through­out New Zea­l­and and from USA, UK, Japan and Aus­tralia are attend­ing the con­fer­ence.

Inter­na­tion­al speak­ers address­ing the Con­fer­ence include Mari­time Uni­on of Aus­tralia Nation­al Sec­ret­ary Paddy Crum­lin, All Japan Dock­work­ers Uni­on Zen­Kow­an Deputy Gen­er­al Sec­ret­ary Sho­saku Machida, Inter­na­tion­al Long­shore and Ware­house Work­ers Uni­on (North Amer­ica) Vice Pres­id­ent Ray Fam­ilathe, and RMT Nation­al Sec­ret­ary Sea­farers Divi­sion Steve Todd (United King­dom).

The Con­fer­ence will also be the last for long serving Mari­time Uni­on Gen­er­al Sec­ret­ary Tre­vor Han­son who retires next month after 37 years of act­ive mem­ber­ship and lead­er­ship with­in the Mari­time Uni­on and the former Water­front Work­ers Uni­on.

Elec­tions for the Mari­time Uni­on’s four nation­al officers are cur­rently being held by postal bal­lot.