Maritime Union says TPPA free trade deal should be dropped
Maritime Union of New Zealand media release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday 6 December 2010
The Maritime Union is calling for the abandonment of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, describing the free trade
plan as a “sell out to global corporations.”
Maritime Union General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says the great majority of New Zealanders and even our political
representatives have little understanding of the implications of free trade deals like the TPPA.
“Free trade agreements such as the TPPA are giving global corporations more power to do as they want regardless of what
is good for the majority of people.”
“Decisions that affect all of us are being made behind closed doors in free trade stitch ups.”
The Maritime Union is actively supporting a number of campaigns including TPPWatch and New Zealand Not For Sale that are
calling for a halt to the TPPA and public accountability.
Mr Fleetwood says the free trade agreements harm the democratic rights of workers who make up the majority.
“These agreements are eroding democracy, in favour of control of our economy and society by powerful global
corporations.”
He says that maritime workers work in the first globalized industry, the maritime industry, and understand what
unregulated "free trade" means.
One example he says is the so-called “open coast” policy, that allows overseas owned and crewed vessels to carry New
Zealand cargo between New Zealand ports, and which had devastated New Zealand shipping.
“As a result New Zealand is now a remote island trading nation that has allowed its shipping capability to be placed in
jeopardy.”
The fishing industry had also had countless problems over the years with the abuse of overseas crew on overseas vessels
fishing New Zealand waters.
Mr Fleetwood says the use of Flag of Convenience vessels and the creation of Ports of Convenience were a warning of
where free trade deals could lead a small nation like New Zealand.
“One of the issues the Maritime Union has raised include the use of short-term cross border labour being used, which is
becoming increasingly common around the world.”
“This is used to drive down wages and conditions and create a casualized, insecure workforce, hurting both the local
workers and the imported workers.”
Other concerns of the Maritime Union include the privatization of assets such as ports and transport.
“New Zealand should be purchasing goods from local and public enterprises, and ensuring we maintain a balanced economy,
with secure, high paid jobs.”
Mr Fleetwood says that New Zealand’s economy will always be based on trade, so the Union supported a system of global
fair trade that worked to ensure secure jobs and balanced economic development.
He says there is a growing global movement against the deregulated free market and free trade policies that had caused
economic disasters such as the global financial meltdown of the last several years.
ENDS