Wellington  - The Maritime Union of New Zealand slated Friday a free trade agreement negotiated between New Zealand, Australia and the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), saying it was bad for workers because it included Myanmar.

Union general secretary Trevor Hanson said it would boost the "violently anti-worker regime in Myanmar and threatened workers rights."

He said the union had many concerns about the treatment of Myanmarese maritime workers, some of whom worked in New Zealand waters and had been mistreated and abused in the past.

Hanson cited the murder of Ko Moe Naung, a Seafarers' Union of Burma (Myanmar) organizer in the Ranong region, who he said was killed by Burmese military forces on May 19, 2005.

The Seafarers' Union of Burma is a fellow affiliate with the Maritime Union of New Zealand to the International Transport Workers' Federation.

Hanson said Ko Moe was tortured to death because he was a dedicated trade union leader, who was organising Burmese fishermen and migrant workers from Burma.

He said the free trade pact meant that New Zealand was now effectively endorsing dictatorships which murdered workers. (dpa)