MUA guest speaker at Maritime Union NZ 2009 Conference

Paddy Crumlin addresses the MUNZ conference

The MUA joins Mar­itime work­ers from around the world who have gath­ered in Welling­ton this week as the Mar­itime Union of New Zealand holds its third tri­en­nial conference.

The three day con­fer­ence sets the agenda for the next three years of the Union and runs through to Thurs­day 29 October.

Del­e­gates and observers from through­out New Zealand and from USA, UK, Japan and Aus­tralia are attend­ing the conference.

Inter­na­tional speak­ers address­ing the Con­fer­ence include Mar­itime Union of Aus­tralia National Sec­re­tary Paddy Crum­lin, All Japan Dock­work­ers Union ZenKowan Deputy Gen­eral Sec­re­tary Shosaku Machida, Inter­na­tional Long­shore and Ware­house Work­ers Union (North Amer­ica) Vice Pres­i­dent Ray Fami­lathe, and RMT National Sec­re­tary Sea­far­ers Divi­sion Steve Todd (United Kingdom).

The Con­fer­ence will also be the last for long serv­ing Mar­itime Union Gen­eral Sec­re­tary Trevor Han­son who retires next month after 37 years of active mem­ber­ship and lead­er­ship within the Mar­itime Union and the for­mer Water­front Work­ers Union.

Elec­tions for the Mar­itime Union's four national offi­cers are cur­rently being held by postal ballot.