Government launches national inquiry into ports, union says it needs to act faster

Wednesday, 27 April 2022

A person has died at the Ports of Auckland after falling from a container.

The Government has announced a national inquiry into the port sector after the deaths of two workers in the Auckland and Lyttleton ports within a week.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood on Wednesday announced a range of measures to investigate the working conditions at the country’s ports.

They included the investigation of the country’s 13 international commercial ports, and into recent deaths.

But Maritime Union Auckland secretary Russell Mayn said he wanted to see immediate change, rather than a formal inquiry which could take months.

* Unions demand national standards for port workers after Atiroa Tauiti's death

* Father was working near son when he died at Auckland port

The Port industry is at “rock bottom” and requires a Government shake-up, says Maritime Union Auckland secretary Russell Mayn.

* Person dies after container incident at Ports of Auckland

“We don’t have the luxury to wait months for another review to be completed. People are dying, we need action now,” Mayn said.

The union proposed the Government immediately adopt Australian port standards across all ports, while working through its review of the two deaths.

This proposal would put a stop to several immediate issues the union said endangered lives of port workers, such as long working hours, inadequate training for casual staff and irregular shift work.

Mayn also said he wanted the Government to implement a tougher regulatory framework which would enable businesses that neglected worker health and safety to be punished.

Council of Trade Unions president Richard Wagstaff says allowing the ports to tender for contracts created a dangerous environment in which businesses cut corners to the detriment of staff safety.

Mayn said the two deaths within a week of each other marked “rock bottom” for the port industry.

“This is an extremely close work force, almost like a second family. Men who have watched their mates die are coming back to work with PTSD. It is so sad, and so preventable.

“There is real urgency here. Our industry does not want to be burying any more people.”

Council of Trade Unions president Richard Wagstaff said he agreed the industry required urgent reform.

Wagstaff said the main issue was that the Government allowed ports to tender bids for contracts, which led to businesses cutting corners to make a lower offer to secure a contract.

“When you get a situation when businesses are bidding against each other for available work, they look to make savings. They tender on certain working arrangements in which health and safety takes a back seat to price and financial opportunity,” Wagstaff said.

A cultural change that placed worker safety above everything else was required at the ports, he said.

“Workers need to be able to stand up and say ‘stop’ when they feel the situation is not safe. They need to be rewarded for doing that, not be told they are holding up production or going against their employers.”

Wagstaff said the Government response needed to happen quickly as workers continued to go into the same dangerous workplaces as the men who died.

“There is a need to balance thoroughness with timeliness. We agree with the Maritime Union that we need to move quickly here, as workers continue to be in the same situation.”

Wood said he wanted the announcement to send a strong message to the port sector.

“Our ports play a crucial role in our economy, and as part of our economic recovery it is essential that they operate efficiently and safely,” Woods said.

Other sectors should take notice of recent events and ensure the safety of their workplaces, he said.