Wharf union seeks Chile trade profits

Press, 19 October 1982, Page 13

Wharf union seeks Chile trade profits

PA Wellington A waterside union has joined business interests in reopening trade links, with Chile. ' The Mount Maunganui and Tauranga Watersiders Workers’ Union has taken half-shares in a company called Sanz Sea Freight, Ltd, said New Zealand Marshalling and Stevedoring, Ltd. The union has had shares in N.Z.M.S. since .the company began about six years ago, the union’s president, Mr L. Hooker, said. The other half of the company’s shares are owned by New Zealand Lumber Com-, pany, Ltd. ; S . ’ - Nor was this unusual, as waterside unions in at least

three other ports, Napier, 1 Lyttelton and Auckland, also owned shares in business interests, he said. The New Zealand Waterfront Workers’. Federation was one of the unions behind the Federation of Labour’s trade ban on Chile, imposed in 1974 after a coup brought the present military government to power. It is believed that the watersiders . supported the ban’s being lifted at the beginning of the month. Mr Hooker said there, had been no adverse reaction . from members to the union being involved in one of the first trading links with Chile since the ban was lifted.