Maritime Union statement on port worker vaccination

The Mar­itime Union has made a state­ment to con­firm its posi­tion on the vac­ci­na­tion of port work­ers.

Mar­itime Union of New Zealand Nation­al Sec­re­tary Craig Har­ri­son says mis­in­for­ma­tion is threat­en­ing health and safe­ty in ports.

Mr Har­ri­son says the Mar­itime Union rec­om­mend­ed and sup­port­ed MUNZ mem­bers being vac­ci­nat­ed for the COVID-19 virus.

He says the Union recog­nis­es and respects the free­dom of choice for its mem­bers and encour­ages them to make an informed deci­sion.

Under the COVID-19 Pub­lic Health Response (Vac­ci­na­tions) Amend­ments Order 2021, vac­ci­na­tion for port work­ers on or around ships will now become manda­to­ry.

Pri­vate­ly employed bor­der work­ers must have had their first dose by 30 Sep­tem­ber 2021.

Mr Har­ri­son says the Union will work with employ­ers and mem­bers to try and resolve any sit­u­a­tions where jobs are in jeop­ardy.

He says that New Zealand can­not afford to lose staff in ports which were already under mas­sive pres­sure.

How­ev­er, the sit­u­a­tion was quite clear, as was the Union’s posi­tion.

“The pub­lic health order has been made, and as good health and safe­ty prac­tice, both employ­ers and work­ers must abide by it.”

Mr Har­ri­son says claims that port work­ers had a unique­ly low vac­ci­na­tion rate were inac­cu­rate, and recent fig­ures show vac­ci­na­tion rates in ports at around 78% in the indus­try.

There were high rates of vac­ci­na­tion in many ports, and oth­er fac­tors were dri­ving the issue in oth­er regions.

ENDS

For more infor­ma­tion, con­tact Mar­itime Union of New Zealand Nation­al Sec­re­tary Craig Har­ri­son on 0274225238