New Zealand maritime workers support Australian workers at DP World

The Mari­time Uni­on of New Zea­l­and says it is back­ing the Mari­time Uni­on of Aus­tralia in their dis­pute with DP World 100%.

Mari­time Uni­on of New Zea­l­and Nation­al Sec­ret­ary Craig Har­ris­on says Aus­trali­an port work­ers at DP World have the full sup­port of New Zea­l­and mari­time work­ers.

Indus­tri­al action has occurred at DP World ter­min­als in Sydney, Mel­bourne, Bris­bane and Fre­mantle as port work­ers press for wage increases to counter cost of liv­ing hikes. 

Mr Har­ris­on says it is hypo­crisy for employ­ers to be attack­ing work­ers seek­ing reas­on­able wage increases, while com­pan­ies like DP World ratchet up giant profits for their own­ers – in this case the Roy­al Fam­ily of Dubai.

He says there are strong ties between mari­time uni­ons in Aus­tralia and New Zea­l­and.

Mr Har­ris­on says DP World has come under increas­ing scru­tiny in Aus­tralia and else­where for its busi­ness prac­tices.

Although one of Australia’s two largest port oper­at­ors, a recent report found DP World has paid no tax in Aus­tralia des­pite gen­er­at­ing rev­en­ue of more than AU$4.5 bil­lion over eight years.

Mr Har­ris­on says it is very con­cern­ing that the pro­posed port privat­iz­a­tion at Port of Auck­land fea­tures DP World as a poten­tial oper­at­or. 

He says the beha­viour of DP World in Aus­tralia by push­ing up massive con­tain­er sur­charges, tax prac­tices, and poor work­place rela­tions, were all red flags. 

“Is this the kind of cor­por­ate oper­at­or we want to give mono­poly con­trol of Port of Auck­land to?”