Fishing industry workforce will lose out again

31 July 2013

Fishing industry workforce will lose out again

Workers in the land-based fishing industry will lose out again if proposed exemptions from requirements of the Fisheries (Foreign Charter Vessels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill go ahead, the Service and Food Workers Union Ngā Ringa Tota said today.

"The fish processing industry has traditionally been a Māori industry," said SFWU Co-President, Muriel Tunoho.

"Thousands of jobs of have been lost in the industry over the past decade with devastating impact on workers and their families and communities. Our union welcomed the Fisheries Amendment Bill, not only because it would end exploitation at sea, but also because it would create jobs onshore. If this exemption goes ahead quota holders will continue to process fish onboard, using exploited foreign labour."

Muriel Tunoho said the SFWU was totally opposed to exemptions.

"Our union supports the CTU position," she said. "Any iwi concerns about loss of value of their quota should not be addressed by continuing to allow the employment of slave labour on fishing boats in New Zealand waters and no changes should be made to the Bill to decrease the possibility of job creation in the fishing industry."

ENDS

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