Wide-ranging industrial action in New Zealand

In New Zealand there has been industrial action: from tbe port workers in Auckland to the aged care workers; to the meat workers of AFFCO and now the firefighters.

Austerities are biting.

Here is a selection of coverage from the past few days. 


What is missing is intelligent commentary.

Mass workers' rights protest may erupt

Stuff,

8 March, 2012

Firefighters could join forces with other embattled workers as the protest movement over workers' rights in New Zealand escalates.

Fed up over lengthy negotiations, the Union of Professional Fire Fighters says its next step could be to join port workers, bureaucrats and other industries fed up with current workplace conditions.

The move comes as almost 300 Ports of Auckland workers were sacked yesterday following months of industrial action and as public servants prepare to make their uncertainty felt.

The unionised port workers will be forced to reapply for their jobs and have said they won't work for Ports of Auckland's new contractors.

For article GO HERE

Thousands rally for sacked Ports workers

TVNZ

10 March, 2012

Thousands of people have rallied in Auckland City in support of almost 300 Ports of Auckland workers who have all but lost their jobs.

The port announced on Wednesday that it would make nearly 300 Maritime Union of New Zealand union members redundant, and replace them with contractors.

Industrial action across the country has swelled in the past month, and today many of those involved in came out in support of the watersiders.

The rally kicked off this afternoon at 4pm at Britomart, followed by a march, and then speeches in a nearby park.

ONE News reporter Stephen Smith said around 5000 protesters, including firefighters, meat workers, rest home nurses, even politicians, took to street, yelling slogans such as "workers rights are under attack!" as well as "stand up fight back, workers rights are under attack."

"It's (the protest) wide-spread and strong these people are angry and they have every right to be, and we're angry for them, " Labour MP David Cunliffe told ONE News.

The huge swell of support is a morale boost for the 290 port workers who were told on Wednesday their jobs were gone.

The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) president Helen Kelly said despite the port announcing that it has commenced redundancy proceedings; the issue is not over for the workers affected.

"New Zealanders are increasingly concerned about the impact of casualisation on their families."

"We need jobs that are secure and safe, and that's what the Ports of Auckland dispute is about - a group of workers who want the ability to be able to say when they'll be free to spend time with their family, without the worry of being called in to work." 

  

Maritime Union of Australia workers are among the international contingent in Auckland for today's rally.

"We're obviously to support the workers, the workers that have been sacked from the Port of Auckland - it's a disgrace," said Stuart Traill from the Electrical Trade Union Australia.

Their colleagues back in Sydney are also making a stand by refusing to unload the Maersk Brani, which docked in Sydney this morning, because it was loaded in Auckland on Wednesday by non-union workers.

"It's got nothing to do with productivity, it's about busting unions. Unions are vital in the workplace and this about respect and dignity, and about maintaining the Port of Auckland in public hands," Traill said.

Earlier in the week, port workers in Wellington, Tauranga and Lyttelton also refused to unload vessels loaded by non-union workers.

As well as the Australians and Europeans, there's also big support from United States unionists, with the union reps from there say the fallout from these redundancies could spread north.

"We're here to support the working class and the port workers here with the Maritime Union of New Zealand," Ray Familathe from International Longshore & Warehouse Union told ONE News.

Kelly said that the rally is a chance for the public of Auckland to let the Auckland Council know they expect better from its Council companies, to treat workers fairly.

"And the public of Auckland, who own this port are coming out today to tell the mayor and the council to lift their game, the Ports of Auckland to stop the nonsense, to stop destroying the port and stop destroying people's lives," said Gary Parsloe from Maritime Union NZ.

But the Port said today it is time to move on, and its decision to make redundancies has been made. The workers should now start thinking about the future.

The Maritime Union now counting on the Employment Court to grant an injunction and at least delay the outsourcing of their jobs.

Strike action spreads to Sydney

Earlier today, union members at the Ports of Sydney refused to unload a ship which was worked on by non-union staff in Auckland.

The Maritime Union of Australia confirmed to ONE News that union members are refusing to unload the Maersk Brani, which docked at Sydney DP World Wharf at Botany Bay at 5am.

The Maersk was handled by non-union staff at Ports of Auckland, before going to Sydney. It left Auckland on Wednesday evening.

There is also a 'community picket' outside Ports of Sydney, with between 30-40 workers protesting.

Union members at Wellington and Lyttelton ports had also refused to work on 'blacklisted' ships, which had been loaded by non-union workers at Auckland while Maritime union members were on strike.

In both cases, judges ruled the action illegal, and ordered workers to unload the vessels.

Maersk has been accused of deliberately turning off ships' navigation devices to prevent workers from knowing that ships had visited the strike-ravaged Auckland port.

The Maritime Union has revealed, what it claims, is correspondence between a ship spotter at Ports of Auckland and Maritime NZ, which it says confirms its concerns.

It says two ships, the Maersk Aberdeen and the Irenes Remedy, turned off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) shortly before reaching New Zealand.

Maersk has said the union's claims were "completely without foundation".

The New Zealand Herald does nothing but relegate this to the inner pages and represent the employer’s viewpoint. No pretence of fairplay

Stop bullying port staff: Pearson

NZ Herald,

12 March,2012

Ports of Auckland boss Richard Pearson has rejected a radio host's call for "militant action" from striking wharfies, saying it was up to union leaders and others to ensure angry port workers acted "within the law".

The response came afterRadio Live host Willie Jackson this afternoon called on striking wharfies to mount "militant action" in their ongoing battle with "right wing fundamentalist" Ports of Auckland bosses.

Mr Jackson, a former trade union organiser and Alliance Party MP, supported the striking port workers' calls for eight hour shifts and job security on his Radio Live slot.

For article GO HERE

Foreign Affairs cuts 'armageddon-like'

VERNON SMALL

Stuff,
8 March, 2012

Labour foreign affairs spokesman Phil Goff has launched another attack on the Government's restructuring plans for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), brandishing a leaked cable from New Zealand's ambassador in Argentina that he said described planned cuts as "armageddon-like".

It is the latest in a series of leaks to Goff, who told Parliament today ambassadors had now been instructed not to express their concerns in cables.

For article GO HERE

And a possible back-track on the cards?

The Prime Minister says some of the cutbacks proposed for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be too aggressive.

Radio NZ,

12 March, 2012

A restructure is set to cut 292 jobs at the ministry.

There may also be changes to family allowances for diplomats on overseas postings.

John Key says he would not be surprised if some proposals did not go ahead, saying the changes in some areas are too aggressive.

In particular he says there are genuine issues with overseas postings.

He says in most cases spouses accompany their partners and it does have to be acknowledged that they are not always able to take a job on those postings.

Mr Key will deliver a speech in Auckland on Thursday where he will reveal another merger of some government agencies.