EPMU releases new film on YouTube

EPMU releases new film on YouTube

The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) today launched a new short film titled “Black Gold”, showcasing the 30% pay increase achieved by EPMU members in Taranaki covered by the Kan Tan 4 collective agreement.

The agreement was negotiated by the Trans-Tasman Oil & Gas Alliance, which comprises the EPMU, Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ), Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and the Australian Workers Union (AWU), and which was established to work towards pay parity for all oil and gas workers in New Zealand and Australia.

“This landmark collective agreement provides for Australian rates of pay in New Zealand and shows that real improvements in wages won't come from fiddling around with the tax system,” said EPMU national secretary Andrew Little, speaking at the film’s launch in New Plymouth today.

“The agreement was made possible by the level of co-operation between the unions involved, a highly mobile workforce, and an industry with high margins which can afford good wage levels”, he said.

“The agreement is the sort of thing that we need to keep Kiwi workers here rather than having to head overseas to chase better rates of pay.”

“Black Gold” is directed by Tony Sutorius (Unreal Films) and features interviews with EPMU national industrial officer Paul Tolich and EPMU organiser Ross Henderson, MUNZ national secretary Joe Fleetwood, MUA’s Mick Doleman, AWU’s David Healey and workers in the industry.

The film runs for 14 minutes and is available to the public on the EPMU's YouTube channel at: wwwyoutube.com/user/NZAEPMU

The EPMU is New Zealand's largest private sector union. It represents around 2,000 workers in the energy and mining sector.

ENDS

© Scoop Media