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Self-handling in New Zealand port is “breach of good practice” says ITF
17 May 2007
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An incident involving cargo handling by seafarers in a New Zealand port has received short shrift from the ITF.
The federation was responding to reports it received from its affiliated union the Maritime Union of New Zealand; it claimed that on 7 May, seafarers on board the Liberian-flagged MS Bussard Bay undertook activities traditionally carried out by dockers in the port of Auckland.
In a letter dated 15 May, ITF Dockers’ Section Secretary Frank Leys told the firm that manages the vessel Triton and Seatrade Companies: “We want to express our strongest resistance against this way of handling. Any attempt to execute dockers’ work by seafarers, which was not agreed in advance with the dockers’ trade union, will be seen as a breach of good practice.”
He also warned: ”Affiliated unions worldwide might judge it appropriate to take the steps they deem appropriate to protect not only the interests of the dockers, but also on behalf of the seafarers who are at risk of becoming victims of fatigue.”
He also urged the company to engage in negotiations to conclude an ITF agreement with the union representing the seafarers, the ITF-affiliated German union, Ver.di.
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