Latest news with #MaritimeUnion
RNZ News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Maritime Union says Aratere ferry should not retire, despite breakdown
Some Thursday morning sailings of the Aratere ferry were cancelled. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The Maritime Union says the government should not retire the Aratere despite its recent breakdown, as a three-ship fleet is needed for a resilient Cook Strait connection. A propulsion fault meant the ferry had to wait at anchor for hours in Queen Charlotte Sound overnight while a specialist electrician came to fix the problem. The breakdown comes while the Kaiārahi is out of action due to scheduled wet dock maintenance, including emergency repairs, and ahead of the Kaitaki being out of service for a routine safety inspection. Maritime Union of New Zealand national secretary Carl Findlay said the incident was concerning and could have been "catastrophic" if it happened in the Cook Strait, potentially leading to "another huge maritime disaster". He said the crew, who were currently facing the loss of their jobs due to the Aratere's impending retirement, deserved thanks for upholding high standards of professionalism and keeping passengers safe and sound while the ferry was delayed for hours in the Marlborough Sounds. "It must be really playing on their minds, but they carry on with their work day in, day out in a professional manner and they deserve some applause for that." Findlay said problems with the vessels, which were all at the end of life, were well documented and the union didn't want to see the Aratere retired in August as it left only two vessels responsible for maintaining the inter-island link. The union had flagged the dangers of removing a key vessel from service, and the current situation showed that KiwiRail needed to rethink their plan. The union wanted to see the government reverse its decision, spend more money on maintenance and retain the 71 members currently facing the loss of their jobs, until the new ships arrived in 2029. "They're ageing as we all know, it just shows again the absolutely silly call that Nicola Willis made 18 months ago when she collapsed the iREX project." "We'd have a new ferry coming around the corner if [the government] hadn't cancelled that project and cost the tax payer hundreds of millions of dollars." He said the first of those new purpose-built ferries was due to arrive in this year, but were now another four years away, and passengers were likely to face years of disruption. The union wanted to see the government reverse its decision, spend more money on maintenance and retain the 71 members currently facing the loss of their jobs, until the new ships arrived in 2029. Findlay said the entire Interislander fleet was currently hampered by breakdowns, damage, or being taken out of service for audit. Last weekend, Kaiārahi had its bow door damaged in rough seas, which will be welded shut to allow it to continue to operate until a scheduled dry dock in Singapore in July. The Kaitaki would soon be out of action while it underwent a Maritime NZ audit, before it headed to dry dock in Singapore. A KiwiRail spokesperson said it has had to cancel the 4pm Aratere sailing, as it continues to explore what caused the electrical issue that led to the ferry breaking down overnight. It comes after the 6.15am sailing from Wellington and the return 11.00am sailing from Picton were cancelled. KiwiRail is undertaking further testing to identify what caused the problem. Private passengers booked on the 4pm sailing are being shifted to the Kaitaki sailing at 8.45am on Friday, while all freight customers have been moved onto a Kaiārahi sailing which is expected to depart later today. On 7 June, Kaiārahi's bow door sustained some damage when the vessel encountered two large waves off Sinclair Head in Cook Strait. Kaiārahi had departed two hours early from Picton, at 5.30am, to get ahead of the forecast large swells. It was a freight only sailing and the swells were well within the vessel's operating limits, with the wave rider showing a 4.4 metre swell. It has been in scheduled maintenance wet dock since then, with repair work done on the bow door. The spokesperson said the work had almost been completed and the vessel would resume sailing, before it left for dry dock in Singapore on 27 June. It is due back on 18 August. Meanwhile, the Kaitaki will be out of action this weekend while it undergoes its annual Passenger Ship Safety Certificate inspection this weekend. A Maritime NZ spokesperson said they were speaking to KiwiRail after the Aratere's breakdown, to determine if further action needed to be taken. It is seeking more information around what occurred, the actions undertaken to remedy the issue, and assurances that appropriate measures are in place to prevent recurrence. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
8 hours ago
- RNZ News
Midday Report Essentials for Thursday 12 June 2025
technology conservation 7 minutes ago In today's episode, the Maritime Union is concerned over the latest breakdown of the beleaguered Aratere ferry, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission says a near-miss between a plane and a drone above Auckland last year shows the need for better control over drones and their operators, four unwanted visitors have weaselled their way into a Wellington eco-sanctuary in the past week, and tributes are pouring in for Brian Wilson - the musician, songwriter, and founder of The Beach Boys - who has died aged 82.
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Maritime Union on Interislander ferry Aratere breaking down
transport national 26 minutes ago The Maritime Union is concerned over the latest breakdown of the beleaguered Aratere ferry. Carl Findlay spoke to Charlotte Cook.
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
KiwiRail weighs 70 job cuts as Aratere ferry retirement looms
The Aratere ferry in the Tory Channel, near Picton. Photo: L C Mortensen CCBY-SA 4 The Maritime Union said KiwiRail is proposing to cut 70 of its members' jobs as it pulls the Aratere ferry out of service. The Interislander's only rail-enabled ship will be retired by the end of August to make way for the construction of new port infrastructure in Picton. Two new rail-enabled ferries are not due to arrive until 2029. Interislander executive general manager Duncan Roy said an employment consultation process was underway. "We will not be commenting on that at this time. Our people have been offered support during this process," he said. "Crewing levels are based on the vessels and the proposed reduction in roles aligns to the shift from three to two ferries." The Maritime Union said the 70 proposed job cuts were in the Aratere's deck and catering departments. Interislander Aratere ferry grounded near Picton on 21 June 2024. Photo: Supplied / Renee Horncastle Further job losses were anticipated for officers and engineers who were members of other unions, it said. Union Wellington branch secretary Fiona Mansell said the announcement was a massive letdown for the crew who had worked hard and delivered on the ageing ferry fleet. "This decision rips the heart out of our maritime workforce, leaving dedicated workers and their families facing an uncertain future. It's a betrayal of the people who keep our country connected," she said. She said the job losses would be a significant blow to New Zealand's seafaring workforce and have a devastating impact on its maritime resilience. "No thought has been given to what KiwiRail will do when it requires more crew for its new vessels in the future," Mansell said. KiwiRail said the pending retirement of Aratere was happening to make Picton's wharf available for redevelopment in time for the arrival of new ships in 2029. "It is no way a reflection of the work of the hard-working crews on our ferries," Roy said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
07-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Union Condemns Government's Attack On Pay Equity And Women Workers
Press Release – Maritime Union of New Zealand Maritime Union National Assistant Secretary Fiona Mansell says the Government's proposed changes to the pay equity framework will wreck decades of progress, undermine fairness and equality in the workplace, and harm women in historically undervalued occupations. The Maritime Union of New Zealand has condemned the Government's attacks on hard-won pay equity legislation, describing these as a direct assault on the rights and economic well-being of women and all working New Zealanders. Maritime Union National Assistant Secretary Fiona Mansell says the Government's proposed changes to the pay equity framework will wreck decades of progress, undermine fairness and equality in the workplace, and harm women in historically undervalued occupations. 'The proposals completely undermine the principle that women deserve equal pay for work of equal value,' says Ms Mansell. 'For years, unions have fought tirelessly to establish and strengthen pay equity laws. Weakening pay equity laws will entrench poverty and make it harder for working families to get by.' Ms Mansell says pay equity is a critical component of addressing the gender pay gap and ensuring economic justice. The Maritime Union of New Zealand stands in solidarity with women workers and is working with other unions across the country who have voiced strong opposition to the Government's backward stance. 'Given the serious implications for women's rights, workers' rights, and economic fairness, MUNZ believes Workplace Relations Minister Van Velden's position has become untenable.' She says the Maritime Union was calling for Minister Van Velden's immediate resignation. The Maritime Union of New Zealand will continue fighting alongside the wider union movement and women workers to protect and advance pay equity.
