Madang firm workers understand issues

 WORKERS of major tuna fisheries company, RD Fishing, can now better understand workplace issues when registering complaints against their management following a two-day training workshop.

The workshop was conducted by Noki Kopi, a former National Tripartite Consultative Council member with wide union experience.

Kopi said that the aim of the workshop was to clarify the roles and responsibilities of shop stewards or workplace represen­tatives in the union.

The 300-member RD Fishing Workers’ Union, registered in 2011, is not part of the PNG Maritime Workers Union and represents 20 of the 21 various sections of the company.

The only exclusion, the net mending section, opted to stay neutral by joining ranks with the maritime workers’ union.

Kopi, who is also the general secretary of the union assisted by president Martin Alibob, aim to work with the company to focus on workers’ bargaining awards.

“This is a measure taken by me to safeguard workers in the future with the union there to monitor the processes involved,” Alibob said.

A participant, Emil Kuas, representing the slipway division, said the workshop was an eye opener for him. 

“I will use the information gained to equip my workers. It was very helpful.”

RD Fishing is part of the RD Group of Companies.