Meat shipment ‘jeopardised’

Press, 13 August 1980, Page 6

Meat shipment ‘jeopardised’

PA Invercargill Delivery dates for frozen meat being loaded for Iran in the British ship American Star at Bluff had been jeopardised by a Seamen’s Union picket line’s being maintained alongside the ship, said the New Zealand manager of Blueport A.T.C. (Mr R., C. Whyte). yesterday. The seamen, who- want New Zealand crews to be engaged in ships plying the Middle East meat trade, will not remove the pickets until there are “assurances” from the- Meat’ Producers’ Board and the shippers on this point, according to the union’s South Island secretary (Mr T. Stuart). But Mr Whyte said that Blueport, the shipping line tvith the Iranian meat contract, .was “in no position to act” on the seamen’s demands. The American Star is scheduled to leave Bluff for the Middle East tomorrow but 700 tonnes of a cohsign-

ment of about 3700 tonnes of frozen lamb still have*to be loaded ! into the ship. Mr Stuart said the picket by the Dunedin-Bluff branch of the Seamen’s Union would remain until “meaningful discussions” were held 'with the aim of providing involvement of New Zealandefs iff ships in the Middle East meat trade.; ■ .. : '* , : ; -

Blueport was chosen 1 foria; picket because of its heavy involvement with the Middle East trade. It runs 'the Trojan. Star, the Tuscan. Star,. and the 'American Star and has- ; sub-chartered the • Eastern Academy and the. Satnus- Sun.? all of which have loaded, meat in- New Zealand in. the last six weeks. ?i ) ■ -. ?[,?') The Trojan Star xvas picketed by seamen at ? the Auckland wharves last-Friday I and Saturday: over the • same issue but it was withdrawn on Monday, the acting . president of the Seamen’s Union (Mr D. Clarke) saying that it had made its point