Joint Meeting of Port Unions Vows to Fight Job Cuts

Media Release
Rail & Maritime Transport Union
Maritime Union of New Zealand
4rd October 2011

Joint Meeting of Port Unions Vows to Fight Job Cuts

A mass stop work meeting of the two main waterfront unions has unanimously supported a call to fight proposals by Port Otago to slash jobs.

Members of the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) and the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) called on the Port’s owner Otago Regional Council to step in and demanded the Company to work with the unions to develop alternatives to job cuts.

‘Both unions’ members have are adamant that no one should be forced out of work,’ said RMTU South Island Organiser John Kerr.

‘We plan to engage with the Company on two fronts: across the table during consultation on what we see as a short sighted proposal to reduce the workforce; and in the public arena to drive home the message that Dunedin and Otago needs an economic strategy to support employment in the region,’ said Kerr.

Phil Adams Secretary of the Port Chalmers branch MUNZ, said that members had ‘committed to back a campaign to turn this so called proposal around.’

‘Our joint membership is prepared to do whatever it takes to make sure the Company understand that every job is precious, and the reasons behind this move by the Company don’t stack up’ he said.

‘Dunedin has been hammered with job losses in recent months, and it is unacceptable that a profitable and successful publically owned company is throwing workers on the scrapheap,’ he said.

Potentially jobs are under threat despite Port Otago paying a record dividend of $12.5m to its owner, the Otago Regional Council.

Full wording of resolutions:
This meeting of RMTU & MUNZ
Condemns Port Otago’s proposal to cut jobs
Calls on the Company to work with the Unions to explore alternatives to job cuts
Puts the Company on notice that our membership will not tolerate compulsory redundancies and that we will take action in the event of the Company trying to force people out of work.

ENDS

© Scoop Media