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New Port Code could save lives on the waterfront

Source: Maritime Union of New Zealand

The Maritime Union of New Zealand says the new Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) for loading and unloading cargo at ports and on ships could save lives and prevent serious harm on the waterfront.

The ACOP was launched this morning at Port of Auckland as the result of work by the Port Health and Safety Leadership Group made up of port unions, ports and stevedoring companies, the Port Industry Association, and regulator Maritime NZ.

Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Carl Findlay says the Union has been campaigning for a national industry code of practice for years.

He says the ACOP provides clear guidelines to ensure the safety and health of workers involved in loading and unloading cargo at ports. 

“There has been a terrible history of death and injuries over the years in New Zealand ports, and the ACOP will play a major role in prioritizing the health and safety of port workers.”

Mr Findlay says including the workers on the job perspective has been an essential part of developing the ACOP.

He says the task now is to ensure the ACOP is adhered to by employers and understood by port workers.

“The key is making sure the ACOP is having an impact on the day to day practices at ports where Unions are the worker’s voice on the job.”

Mr Findlay says there has been further progress in the industry with the development of fatigue risk management systems and the extension of Maritime NZ’s designation to cover the entire port.

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TAIC report into 2022 port deaths

Source: Maritime Union of New Zealand

The Maritime Union of New Zealand has welcomed the release today of a combined report by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) on two separate fatal accidents in New Zealand ports in 2022.

Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison says the Union endorses the findings of the report and its recommendations.

“This hard hitting report comes out of the tragic, unnecessary and untimely deaths of two loved and respected port workers simply going about their work.”

Mr Harrison says the Union agrees with the acknowledgement of the TAIC report that the stevedoring industry has a poor safety record, yet is not rigorously regulated compared to other high-risk industries.

The TAIC report found similarities in the lead up to the fatal accidents, where both employers had been improving their safety systems, but had common deficiencies.

The report noted with no best practice guidelines, no minimum training requirements and few safety-related information-sharing platforms, industry sector leadership was lacking.

The report also emphasized the importance of proactive regulatory oversight of high-risk industries, particularly those with a poor safety record.

Mr Harrison says many of the issues noted in the report were the outcomes of decades of industry deregulation, where the voice of workers had been silenced in favour of commercial priorities.

He says there is now a shift, as progress around health and safety had been made recently in the industry with the support of the outgoing Government.

The creation of a Port Health and Safety Leadership Group (PHSLG) under the leadership of Maritime New Zealand had brought in employers and union worker representatives, he says.

Primary responsibility for most areas of port health and safety is in the process of being designated as under the oversight of Maritime New Zealand, whereas it was previously divided between two regulators.

Mr Harrison says the current development of a national Approved Code of Practice for port operations with the input of the PHSLG was another major step.

A Stevedoring Code of Practice was already in place at Port of Auckland, that had been put together by POAL, two private stevedoring companies, and the Maritime Union.

Mr Harrison says this contrasts with previous management at the Port which had not engaged with the Union.  

This progress went some way to meet the TAIC report call for industry collaboration and benchmarking improve safety standards, he says.

Mr Harrison says the cost to get change has been far too high, and workers needed to organize and unionize to ensure their safety and wellbeing came first on the job.

“We are concerned the new Government does not attempt to return to the failed industry deregulation and weak oversight of the past.”

Background details to TAIC report

The first accident occurred on 19 April 2022 at the Port of Auckland. A stevedore, working onboard the container vessel Capitaine Tasman, moved underneath a suspended 40-foot container and suffered crush injuries as a result of the container being lowered onto them. The stevedore was employed by Wallace Investments Limited (WIL), an independent stevedoring company operating at the Port of Auckland.

The second accident occurred at Lyttelton Port on 25 April 2022. A stevedore, involved in the process of loading coal onto the bulk carrier ETG Aquarius, was discovered, deceased, on the deck of the vessel, buried under a quantity of coal. The stevedore was employed by the Lyttelton Port Company Limited (LPC).

In New Zealand, there have been 18 deaths amongst port workers since 2012, which is proportionally the second highest rate of fatalities of any industry sector within New Zealand.

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Aucklanders show strong opposition to port sale in new poll

Source: Maritime Union of New Zealand

The Maritime Union has released a new poll that shows an overwhelming majority of Aucklanders support keeping the Port of Auckland in public ownership.

Polling was carried out by Talbot Mills from 4–9 October 2023 on a sample of 517 Aucklanders.

In answer to the question “Do you think Aucklanders should continue to own and profit from the Auckland Port?”, 63% of respondents answered yes, 7% answered no and 30% were unsure.

In answer to the question “Mayor Wayne Brown has suggested selling the Auckland Port to overseas investors. Do you support or oppose the sale of the Port?”, 64% were opposed to the sale, 15% were in support and 21% were unsure.

Maritime Union Auckland Branch Local 13 Secretary Russell Mayn says the poll confirms Aucklanders are opposed to privatisation of the Ports of Auckland by an overwhelming majority.

The polling follows the September 2023 release of a report commissioned by the Maritime Union that detailed how port privatisation in Australia had led to major increases in port charges as private owners sought to recoup their investment.

Mr Mayn says there has been no convincing argument for port privatisation and there is no mandate for a sell off.

“This is an asset that is immensely important to Auckland’s economy and to New Zealand’s supply chain. The Mayor of Auckland needs to share the details of his privatisation plan and party leaders need to tell voters where they stand on this risky and reckless privatisation proposal.”

He says the Mayor of Auckland has a difficult job in dealing with the financial pressures on Auckland City, but the clear message is Port privatisation is not the answer.

“As the Mayor has acknowledged, the Port of Auckland is currently making good returns for Aucklanders.”

Mr Mayn says the Maritime Union is calling on Auckland Councillors who have not yet stated their position on port privatisation to confirm their views in the interests of transparency.