Maritime Union stands with Pike River families & calls for corporate manslaughter laws
The Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) is giving its full support to the Pike River families, who are today calling on Parliament to strengthen the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) and urgently introduce Corporate Manslaughter laws into New Zealand legislation.
MUNZ National Secretary Carl Findlay says the cost of health and safety negligence is measured in the lives of working people.
Mr Findlay says MUNZ today marks the 15th anniversary of the Pike River tragedy remembering those who paid the ultimate price for health and safety failures.
“The Maritime Union stands with their families today in saying ‘enough is enough.’”
Mr Findlay says the history of the New Zealand waterfront, like mining and forestry, is marked by avoidable death and injury.
“Workers have been harmed where profit has been prioritised over safety, and this must stop,” Mr. Findlay says.
The Maritime Union strongly endorses the call to bolster the existing Health and Safety at Work Act while strengthening it with the addition of a Corporate Manslaughter provision.
Mr. Findlay says the prosecution of former Ports of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson, which, despite resulting in a conviction that is under appeal, highlighted a flaw in New Zealand’s health and safety framework.
“The case of the previous CEO at Ports of Auckland shows we need laws that reflect the severity of this issue.”
“Stronger laws are the way to protect workers. When CEOs and directors face the threat of a corporate manslaughter conviction, which carries personal consequences beyond a fine for the company, it changes behaviour.”
To honour the Pike River 29, and workers from all industries, we must strengthen health and safety laws, says Mr Findlay.
