Unionists in ship business

A Fiji trade union has linked with two major companies to form a ship ping line—possibly the first time the world has seen such an alliance.

The union, the Fiji Waterside Workers and Seamen’s Union, is as militant as many overseas maritime unions, yet it has formed a partner ship with a shipping company, Sof rana Fiji Express Line Ltd, and W.

R. Carpenter (South Pacific) Ltd.

For the Carpenter group, it is a return to shipping, which it aban doned several years ago. The new company is Pacific Line Ltd, which has chartered the Capitaine La Perouse from Sofrana, and renamed it Tui Cakau, a name well known in Fiji shipping and stretching back over the years.

The ship will operate on a monthly schedule covering Auckland, Tau ranga, Lautoka, Suva and Apia. It will carry general and freezer cargo from New Zealand, transshipment consignments and other cargo from Fiji for Apia, and Fiji exports to New Zealand. The line does not

contemplate operating a regional

service along the lines of the SPEC

regional service.

On the board of the new company are Captain Alain Munch, managing director of Sofrana, Mr Harry Kiss, general manager of the Carpenter shipping division, and Mr Taniela Veitata, the union’s industrial officer.

Mr Kiss is managing director.

To become a member of the board, as well as hold a paid position in a

maritime union, is a tremendous step for Mr Veitata. In future dealings with the union on industrial matters, he will have a foot in both camps— as far as the Tui Cakau is concerned at any rate.

But that does not worry him in the slightest. He said that about two years ago, his union, of which he was then secretary, planned to buy a ship, but lacked finance, and technical and managerial expertise.

“I know it is unusual for a union to team up with employers like this, but we think the new company offers the best scope for the union to get into commercial shipping,” he said.

“It should also lead to an improve ment in industrial relations.”

About 26 members of his union will have permanent posts in the Tui Cakau.

He described the new venture as only the start. The union was look ing at the possibility of getting in volved in other business ventures.

Apart from appearing in a new role, Mr Veitata has made a real comeback in union affairs. He had been disqualified from holding an elective position in the union because of a brush with the law. but when his services became available again, the union employed him as a paid industrial officer, and, in fact, he is again a strong force and possibly leader in everything but name, of his union.

While he was out of circulation another figure prominent in Fiji

affairs is reported to have attempted to make overtures, which would have led to a takeover of the union. This disturbed Mr Veitata, who had done so much to build up this union, and its predecessor, which was de registered, into a powerful unit.

The Carpenter group obviously gave a lot of thought to the partner ship. Mr Kiss said that after an approach by the union, and after a thorough assessment, the group de cided the venture was sound.

“As far as we are aware, the part nership will be unique in Fiji,” Mr Kiss said. “It marks a new stage in the development of relationships be tween employers and unionists.”

For the record: Pacific Line will have an issued capital of $20,000, $9,600 (48 per cent held by Sofrana) and $5,200 (26 per cent) each held by the union and Carpenters.

Tough Charter

For Fiji Barge

What started out as a routine charter—towing a barge from Suva to Niue Island—turned out recently to be one of the most difficult assign ments ever undertaken by the Fiji tug Wallacia, and her six-man crew.

The 47-ton Wallacia, towing a 350ton barge laden with $250,000-worth of heavy earthworks machinery for the Niue Government, first struck a fickle hurricane off Tofua Island.

Then, at Niue, heavy seas forced the tug, owned by Marine Pacific Ltd, to heave-to for four days. Niuean fishermen from the village of Hakupu took food in dugout canoes to the crew.

When first attempts were made to unload the barge, heavy swells pushed the steel carrier onto the reef, holing the stern compartments.

After further unsuccessful attempts were made to off-load the valuable carge—essential for a power reticula tion project and airport extensions— the barge broke the island’s only mooring buoy.

During three days of frustrating attempts to tie up alongside the small Alofi wharf, the tugmaster and crew gave the whole population of Niue, who turned out to watch the drama, displays of expert boathandling and seamanship. Eventually the mach inery was off-loaded through gates cut into the side of the barge.

Senior master of Marine Pacific Ltd, Walter Ryland, and field engineer for the supplying company, Lex Latham, heaved sighs of relief when the grader, bulldozers and trucks were safely ashore undamaged.