CTU Media Release

11 April 2013

Government urged to act sooner on Foreign Charter Vessels

The Council of Trade Unions said today to the Primary Production Select Committee considering a Bill on the activities of foreign charter vessels fishing in New Zealand's exclusive economic zone that action is needed now.

There have been many documented cases of foreign charter vessel crew members not being paid, being underpaid, having their wages eaten up by agency fees and being verbally, physically, and in some cases sexually, abused.

Peter Conway, CTU Secretary said that he commended the Government for the strong measures in the Bill and in particular the requirement that foreign charter vessels should be required to reflag to New Zealand.

"However we want this to occur by May 2014 rather than 2016 as the Bill proposes."

Peter Conway said that unions actively support crew of these vessels when problems arise and have been campaigning for years for Government action to address the serious abuses of human rights of these workers.

The CTU submission also raised issues such as the application of health and safety regulation, the number of observers required on each vessel, the minimum pay rate for crew, ratification of relevant International Labour (and Maritime) Organisation Conventions, and rules of origin of fish caught offshore in relation to trade agreements.

Peter Conway said that a major issue now is how the industry can better develop value-added onshore processing that increases job opportunities. The CTU called on the Government to establish a fishing industry development project (which includes all parties including unions) that promotes employment opportunities (specifically including land-based options), value-added practices, expanded training provision, increased cooperation between producers in maximising the value of exports, and investment options.

ENDS

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