Union dissatisfied with port inquiry

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

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood yesterday 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. ‘‘People are dying, we need action now.’’

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.

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. He 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 all 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.’’