Maritime Union voices concerns about Biosecurity training

The Maritime Union has voiced its concerns about MAF online accreditation for waterfront workers required to make biosecurity checks.

The Union says news reports today about the online accreditation of a family cat by Forest and Bird Society staff is a sign that there is much work that needs to be done to ensure a secure and well-regulated waterfront.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the deregulation of the maritime industries over the 1990s has had a serious impact on the ability of New Zealand to protect its environment, as well as undermining labour conditions and the future viability of the industry.

"The two main threats to biosecurity we see are the presence of large numbers of flag of convenience vessels off the New Zealand coast, and the reality of an aggressive cost-cutting mentality amongst waterfront operators."

Flag of Convenience vessels are ships that are registered in countries that have very low standards of maritime regulation, and have been described as a major threat to both labour standards and environmental safety throughout the world by Unions and environmentalists.

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