Branch Reports

By Jim King

COVID KiwiRail–Interisland Line

With the return of COVID, for KiwiRail–Interisland Line there were a few hiccups at the beginning when New Zealand went into Level 4. There were a lot of issues pertaining to rostering, and crew entitlements to Paid Pandemic Special Leave etc.

KiwiRail were pleased to report that the company has settled in to a steady rhythm of work, despite the threats and distractions that the Delta variant of COVID-19 was presenting, especially to those in Auckland.

KR continue to be impacted by staff needing to isolate, but that is so far being managed within teams. The ferries, freight services, are still continuing throughout the Covid Alert Levels 2 and 4. A couple of ferry services were cancelled due to breakdowns etc, this was compounded by a locomotive falling into Picton ferry berth along with two wagons.

If that wasn’t enough, the scheduled dry dock for the Aratere was delayed by a week, due to the Kaitaki’s gearbox breaking down. The end of August and the start of September was not a good period.

KiwiRail are currently working on ways to speed up vaccinations for staff. There were about 160 of Interislander staff vaccinated in a special clinic in the Interislander Departures terminal in Wellington. The company were saying they have more vaccinations available than we have arms to jab.

KiwiRail Wage Negotiations

The first set of wage round talks is set down for 21 September. The MUNZ remit team was due to convene in our branch office to go over the remits on 2 September, but this was deferred due to COVID.

Therefore, the MUNZ remit committee were emailed a copy of the remits and had been asked to have a good look over them. They have now come back to me with a full set of final claims to go to the employer.

OSM

Peter Cranney is in the process of writing to OSM to ask them just exactly what contract were the MUA members employed under. There seems to be some confusion over just exactly which entitlement these members were receiving when the Siem Amethyst was working here in New Zealand waters back in April. MUNZ attended a mediation hearing on 23 August. This was to address issues surrounding our members that need to attend refresher STCW training courses at their own cost. We have now reached a confidential settlement and now consider this matter with Swire’s closed. We now look forward to working with the remainder of the OEG to have constructive dialogue about recompensing members who are required to pay for their refresher courses while being employed with their company’s/manning agents.

StraitNZ (Bluebridge/Vessels)

After a series of ratification meetings in August, the members voted to accept the company’s offer.

Bluebridge are currently looking for casual AB seafarers, along with Hospitality staff who hold the relevant STCW certificates. If your interested in a bit of casual work, please contact me.

Trainees

The branch is looking for keen and interested young people who would like to go onto our trainee database. Names are very slow to come in.

I have asked many times at our stop work meetings, National Council, and through the branch newsletter, and still not having much success.

Therefore, please ask your family and friends if they would like to be considered to ship out as a trainee. If so please have them submit their CV to me so I can put their names into our database.

Obituaries

Maurice Robertson (IR) Maurice was a long-standing member of our Union, was actively involved as a delegate and also a very good Health and Safety Rep. Maurice was also my watchmate on the Arahura for a couple of years, and was a very fine watchmate and seafarer. Be at peace brother.

John Coombs Former National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia and a massively important figure in the MUA and the broader union movement in Australia and internationally, John spent his life representing the interests of working people whom he cared for deeply.

Aratere in dry dock in Sydney, September 2021

Wellington Branch Elections

Nominations received as follows:

Branch President: Tony Mowbray (Elected unopposed) Branch Vice President: Marian Lesslie (Elected unopposed) Branch Secretary Treasurer: Jim King (Elected unopposed) Assistant Branch Secretary: Fiona Mansell (Elected unopposed) Wellington Branch Executive Committee (All elected unopposed): William Brockway (Youth Rep) Zyana Maki (Wellington Women’s Rep) Paul Baggott Sarah Chapman Bradley Clifford (Ports) Jason Penny (Ports) Lynette Payne Makere Taurima Les Taylor Kenneth Walsh

These candidates have now been declared elected by Branch Returning Officer John Whiting.

Offshore Employers Group (OEG)

The OEG’s offer in the June 2021 wage rounds has been overwhelmingly rejected by the members. Moving forward, we are now in the process of looking at our alternatives. We have been liaising with our legal team on this issue. NIWA

NIWA had a Teams Meeting with all unions on Tuesday 17 August, and the offer was taken back to our members for ratification. The members voted overwhelming to accept NIWA’s offer.

Wellington Branch Stop Work Meetings

The next Stop Work Meeting is 10am Monday 11 October 2021, to be held at the National Office, 1st floor Waterside House in the conference room.

Wellington Database

The numbers: 18 X IR’s & AB’s, 3 X Cooks, 7 X Stewards

Current wage rounds

Offshore Oil & Gas April – Current – Rejected StraitNZ Bluebridge (Vessels) – June – Accepted NIWA – CPI Review August 2021 (Accepted) Kiwirail – Initiated Bargaining 30 July 2021 StraitNZ – (Picton Terminal) August 2021 Negotiation Mode

MUNZ member Alan Harkness working on the Kaiarahi. Legend! Another day in paradise.

Wellington Branch marks the passing of Peter “Pedro” Fox, ex James Cook, Shipping Corp, Interislander ferries.

ITF assist distressed seafarer

The New Zealand ITF inspectorate recently assisted with the repatriation of a sick seafarer to the Ukraine. The seafarer aboard the MV Louise contacted MUNZ and ITF as his ship was coming into the Port of Tauranga. He had been suffering ongoing back pain for 4 months after working doing heavy lifting. He had not been permitted off the vessel previously due to COVID restrictions.

A visit to the doctor was arranged in Tauranga and tests were carried out at the hospital. There were some serious problems due to communication issues but he was eventually informed he had a large kidney stone. He was also seen by psychiatrists due to his distress.

Following intervention by New Zealand ITF inspector Grahame MacLaren, the company agreed to repatriate the seafarer who left the country after being transported in quarantine. Grahame says the crew member was very happy and relieved, as was his 7 months pregnant wife at home. Repatriation and all medical costs are on the company as are his basic wages until he recovers.

Vale John Coombs (1940-2021)

The Maritime Union of New Zealand has sent its respects to our Australian brothers and sisters of the MUA on the death of former MUA National Secretary John Coombs who passed away on 1 September at the age of 81.

John Coombs was national secretary and was a hugely important figure in the MUA and the broader union movement in Australia and internationally. He spent his life representing the interests of working people whom he cared for deeply.

Best known to the public as the leader of the MUA during the divisive 1998 Patrick waterfront dispute, John joined the Waterside Workers Federation in 1968 and became WWF delegate for Consolidated Cargo Care in 1972.

He was instrumental in setting up the Waterside Workers Credit Union where he was chair for 27 years and the Stevedoring Superannuation Fund which he also chaired.

MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said “John will be greatly missed, a person of courage and character and enjoying the great wit and sense of humour of the Australian waterfront. He was tough and courageous in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds and was a lightning rod for galvanizing actions against injustice and elitism, but also for aspirations of a genuine vision for Australian political, social, economic and industrial rights based on access and true process”.

By Dean McNamara

Nelson Branch Christmas Function 2021

This year our Christmas function will be held at: The Honest Lawyer 1 Point Road, Monaco, Nelson Friday 10 December, 5PM – Midnight Food, Drinks, Entertainment and Courtesy Coach provided.

Accommodation is available at the venue at a discounted rate of $129.00 per night for a king room. Roll-out beds can be provided for children. If you live in Picton, Blenheim, Kaikoura, or Westport make up a group and come over to Nelson and join in the festivities.

Contact one of the Nelson Branch officials ASAP if you want accommodation as bookings over Christmas are in demand.

COVID update for Lyttelton

By Gary Horan Lyttelton Branch Secretary

The recent COVID lockdown has brought forward the situation regarding vaccinations in the port, LPC are 95% vaccinated, SSA are 100%, Apsl/Owens are 100% and the Tunnel control are 99%.

These are encouraging numbers, if members don’t want to be vaccinated they have to be rostered into non frontline positions.

Some companies can do this, and some can’t. LPC are placing all non-vaccinated workers into straddle driving roles to comply with the Government health order. This is indefinite and although it is frustrating for some members it is a Government health order and must be complied with.

The Union supports the vaccination of frontline staff, but we will look to support in anyway that is possible members who decline vaccination. At some other ports there are no non-frontline positions and this could lead to loss of jobs.

All the companies in port seem to be busy and are employing new staff and we are picking up new members.

Lyttelton update

By Shanaya Hunter National Youth Rep

It’s been a hectic few months for our branch. We have started our charter for our High Performance, High Engagement journey.

Port Presence – Lyttelton Port Company are introducing software and infrastructure to implement swipe-in/swipe-out so they can manage on site safety and security. While we hope this won’t be used in the future to monitor our comings and goings and used as evidence against our members, they do require this for maritime and health and safety laws.

We are currently working through fatigue management with the port company to establish a fatigue management standard and to develop tools and resources to help ensure staff get adequate rest between shifts. Our delegates, health safety reps and foremen are going through sleep science training before beginning the working groups who will work through the standard and guidelines to see how these will apply to our work areas.

We are getting very positive turnouts to our bi-monthly meetings with the exception of lockdown of course. I can’t stress enough how important it is to get to your local meetings. This is your opportunity to have your say but to also hear about what is affecting our Union around the country and in other industries and what is happening in your local branch. Remember we are not mind readers and can’t solve problems if we don’t know about them. Your local executive is not the union, all members are our union so have your say and get those answers! We are here for a reason.

It has been positive to see some of our youth turn up to meetings and I hope to see more because it is our future on the waterfront and at sea and we want to protect the current conditions if not improve them. Our branch membership is growing and we’re certainly getting a lot of younger members joining at the Port Company which is positive.

These local events and functions are important to growing our membership and increasing our branding to show the importance of getting involved in your branch and continuing the fight. I encourage any youth in MUNZ to get in touch if you have any problems or issues you want raised, or even just to say hello!

MUNZ Lyttelton members and local firefighters Peter Lauryssens (left) and Craig Smith (right) who did the Auckland Sky Tower stair challenge and successfully raised $1,357 for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer NZ

Our comrade Maui Makino Koopu (left) put in the Mahi at the South Island powerlifting championship. Impressive effort for 24-year-old Maui. 287.5 kg squat 180 kg bench press 290 kg Deadlift

Thanks to Shanaya Hunter from Lyttelton Branch for these pics and captions Lyttelton members competing in GODzone the biggest adventure race in New Zealand. This is a 7 day event. Well done to our competitors from left Jaega Banga, David Rose (Cargo handlers LPC), Kendra Roddis (Logistics Officer LPC), Jonny Brewer (Cargo handler RMTU)

Gerard Loader (Lyttelton President) and Nick Thompson (branch member) pictured here both competed in the 60km Bridge to Bridge Mountain bike race from the Waimakariri Gorge to Kaiapoi. Well done, amazing effort!

By Gerard Loader Lyttelton Branch President

Hello Comrades As with the rest of New Zealand COVID is changing the landscape here in Lyttelton port of Christchurch. We have been put into four separate work group “bubbles” while in Levels 3 and 4, and some of Level 2, so as to maintain 24/7 operations in the port.

We have a 40 minute break between shifts so the amenities can be deep cleaned before the next group comes in. Most overtime is cancelled except for second shift on Tuesday, with a whole group starting one day early.

I haven’t received as many complaints about the set up as with the first nationwide lockdown as the members have accepted that it is a small price to pay to keep our service to Canterbury and the wider community going.

It is pleasing to note that our frontline workers (Cargo handlers, Foreman, Security, Civil and Marine) are at a 95% immunization rate. Well done to the membership of both the main unions in Port Lyttelton.

With COVID, all talks with LPC regarding fatigue, HPHE (High performance, high engagement) and cultural change have been put on hold as to minimize cross contamination.

Personally, this is quite refreshing as Mike Searle (Roadkill) Shanaya Hunter, Steve Thompson, Gary Horan and myself have just politely had a gutsful of meetings about the last meeting to plan the next meeting.

Yes, corporate culture is alive and well in LPC and it is our job in these meetings to keep management honest and to keep it real. We are a 24/7 role, not a Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5pm operation. We are there to protect our membership from their “I’ve had a vision” rubbish they try to get across the table.

I had the pleasure (sic) of putting together three events featuring Mike King for all LPC employees, MUNZ members, Rugby club members and the wider Lyttelton and Christchurch community. After listening to Mike at our 2020 National conference I approached LPC about funding him to come down, MUNZ would supply the Hall and the Lyttelton Rugby Club supply the nibbles.

To my delight LPC said “Yes, that’s a great idea” and we put the wheels in motion. I am pleased and proud to report that the three events were sold out (they were free) and we managed to raise $1640 for the Rugby Club wellbeing fund on which I am a trustee of.

I have received positive feedback from all corners of the community with some members and even management opening up to me about their own struggles. All in all a pretty humbling experience and my heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make this happen.

On a more solemn note on 28 August we marked the seventh anniversary of the passing of our former president Brad Fletcher in an industrial accident in the Lyttelton container terminal.

It was a more private affair this year as we mentioned and talked about him at each tool box at shift start that day, finishing with a moments silence in remembrance before we went to work.

Brad was a larger-than-life figure who was humble, compassionate and willing to do anything for anyone. He was a proud and committed father, husband, son, uncle and friend to many. He served the Lyttelton fire brigade for 23 years, just two years short of his gold star.

I had the privilege of spilling blood with him on the Rugby field in our younger days. He was a gentle giant on the field to the point where more than once I had to give him a sneaky punch or kick to fire him up for 10 minutes when the team needed “Big Bad Brad” – hahahaha. BBB “Me old mate for life”, rest in peace friend, team member, comrade.

Comrades, please look after yourself especially in these trying times that we are all going through. Don’t be afraid to ask how your mates, co-workers, partners and children are coping with things because as Kiwis we are shocking at opening up unless prodded. You never know your caring gesture might be all that person needed to feel better about things. Be safe and be kind to each other.

Vale Graham (Winky) Waugh

By Phil Adams

Graham Stuart Waugh, known to all as Winky, passed away on 19 September 2021 after a long battle with cancer. Winky joined the waterfront in 1982 and retired 35 years later in 2017.

Up until the demise of the Waterfront Industry Commission Winky did all classes of work from conventional to terminal work including driving heavy machinery in the terminal at Port Chalmers.

After the demise of the Waterfront Industry Commission Winky was lucky enough to be picked up by Port Otago to work solely in the terminal and he retired from there 35 years later.

During his time with Port Otago Winky drove straddles, side loaders, forklifts, was hatchman, lander and a few years before he retired he was used consistently as a team leader on vessels as his experience was invaluable, particularly with so many new entrants entering our industry. He was well liked and respected for this.

Winky took a great interest in the sporting side of our Union and was our branches sports rep for well over 20 years and served on the Maritime Union National Sports Council for about the same length of time.

His role in looking after the golf side of things at tournaments was well received by all at the tournaments and he was extremely popular at these events. When Winky joined the union we had a South Island Tournament and a North Island Sports tournament each year. As numbers dropped off for those attending the separate tournaments, particularly the South Island, it was decided to combine the two and have a National Tournament each year in February at a different port each year.

The first tournament this happened was in New Plymouth some 20 years ago, and Port Chalmers sent three members to it – Phil Adams, Cyril MacWilliam and Winky Waugh. This started the tournament being a national event.

Early this year I had a call from a local retired member who attended a lot of these tournaments who suggested given Winky’s tireless work and long tenure of being on the Maritime Union Sports Council that he be nominated for a life membership of the Council.

After some phone calls to other long term respected members of the council, all agreed on life membership given Winky’s sterling contribution over the years. In February this year at the Lyttelton Tournament in Christchurch he was presented with the life membership of the Sports Council. Those present could see it meant a great deal to Wink as he was quite emotional and all were in agreement it was a well deserved honour.

In all organisations we need people the likes of Wink who volunteer their services for the good of their members. I know Wink was passionate about the sports tournament and all those who attended and will be sadly missed at future tournaments.

RIP Wink, you were one of a kind and the sports tourneys will not be the same. I know you would want them to continue and we are confident they will on and into the future.