Maritime workers support Prison Officers protest against privatisation

The Maritime Union of New Zealand is supporting the Corrections Association in their protest today against prison privatization at the opening of Parliament.

Maritime Union of New Zealand General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says the safety and security of workers comes before cost cutting measures, and the Government has lost the plot in its prisons policies.

The Union has spoken out against the use of shipping containers as makeshift jail cells.

Mr Fleetwood says that the Maritime Union is incensed that the only "maritime policy" the Government seems to have is using containers for jails.

"With tens of thousands of young New Zealanders joining the ranks of the unemployed, this Government is doing nothing to support New Zealand shipping and getting young people good careers in coastal shipping moving New Zealand goods in containers."

"Instead young people from deprived backgrounds will languish on the dole and slip into anti-social activities – and end up inside shipping containers. The National Government should be ashamed of itself."

Mr Fleetwood says areas such as prisons should never been privatized and used as profit making machines.

ENDS

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