N.Z. crews in overseas ships

Press, 10 March 1984, Page 7

N.Z. crews in overseas ships

PA Auckland Overseas shipping companies were hiring an increasing number of New Zealand crew members, said the Seamen’s Union recently. The union’s assistant secretary in Auckland, Mr John O’Neill, dismissed as “ridiculous" comments made by the Owens Group chairman, Mr R. A. Owens, at the Harbours’ Association conference. Mr Owens said that New Zealand seamen were virtually unemployable on the world market because of the time crew spent shorebound at home. “Our seamen have not been involved in international trade since World War ll,’’ said Mr O’Neill. In the last two years there had been more negotiations with overseas companies and the seamen were getting back into

international work. He said that the worldwide A.B.C. container lines and the Norwegian Jebsen line were two companies negotiating for New Zealand crews.

“In the past our seamen have given up a general wage order for leave,” Mr O’Neill said. “The cost of our leave is considerably less than the amount overseas companies spend flying crew to assignments.” Mr Owen’s statement that 80 per cent of New Zealand seamen were “Poms” was also untrue, he said.

“He made this crack about 10 years ago. “We took a poll among crews then, and although we had several different nationalities, New Zealanders outstripped all others. At present, of every 10 people we take on, nine will be New Zealanders.”