Seamen's protests likely to trouble Islands ship

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33241, 2 June 1973, Page 2

Seamen's protests likely to trouble Islands ship

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 1.

Big troubles appear to be looming for the Islands service “mini-liner” Enna G., which is owned by the Nauru Pacific Line.

The 9366-ton ship will berth at Auckland on Sunday to take over part of the service previously run by the Tofua.

The New Zealand Seamen’s Union, whose members man the Tofua, opposes the use of the ship on three counts.

The union has called for—and received—support from other unions to see that the seamen’s jobs are not placed in jeopardy by the ship. FINAL VOYAGE The 5299-ton Tofua is due Ito berth at Auckland on ) Monday on her final voyage

to the Islands and a smaller container ship, the Union South Pacific, which has been chartered by the Union Company, will replace her. The Union South Pacific was delayed at Wellington today on her maiden visit by a cooks’ and stewards’ dispute. A number of cooks and stewards will lose employment opportunities when the Tofua goes. The Seamen’s Union Auckland secretary (Mr L. Anderson) said today that seamen were opposed to the Enna G. because she would be used on what has been a traditional New Zealand run. For 75 years New Zealand seamen had manned Island ships, and this service was part of their bread and butter, he said. “CHEAP” LABOUR Another objection was to the use of “cheap” labour crews. Mr Anderson said he believed that the Island crew members were being paid only about SUSI2O a month, which was well below the minimum wage rates agreed to internationally. The ship would also be employed on a cross trade, between ports foreign to its registry—and it had always been union policy to oppose the introduction of cross traders to a trade serviced by New Zealand ships.

Mr Anderson also said he believed that the Union Company was investigating the possibility of putting a passenger-only ship in the service in the Tofua’s place. F.0.L., GOVT

Representations have been made to the Government and to the Federation of Labour. In a meeting with waterside unions, their officials offered to support the seamen. An Auckland Waterside

Workers’ Union official said today, however, he could not say if the union would black the ship by refusing to load her cargo. Seatrans, Ltd, the Pacific Lines New Zealand agent, said the Tonga Government was partly responsible for the ship's being brought into the trade because it was keen to continue this type of cargopassenger service and had an agreement with the Nauru Government over the scheduling of ships. This arrangement, and the fact that the ship traded to Tonga, made the cross-trad-ing arguments invalid. The Enna G. employed Tongan stewards and Fijian deck and engine-room ratings, he said.

Many Island Governments supported the idea of eventually forming a regional shipping line to provide work for Islanders and to give their economies a boost. The Seatrans official said the New Zealand Government was closely associated with Island aid projects and if it stood in the way of the new service this could have a detrimental effect on the Islanders.

If the Enna G. is subject to a ban in New Zealand, her registry might be transferred from Nauru to Tonga. This would overcome the crosstrading arguments because Tongan goods account for much of the cargo carried by the service.