NO CHANGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 22, 5 November 1938, Page 6

NO CHANGE

THE WATERSIDERS’ DISPUTE. PARTIES HOLD CONFERENCE. MEN TO DECIDE TO-DAY. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 4. After a 2-1-hour conference between representatives ol' tho Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union, and the Port ol Auckland Shipping and Stevedores’ Association this afternoon, the position in the dispute, which arose over the working of two ships on Thursday, remained unchanged. Representatives of the Stevedores’ Association adhered to their attitude that tho terms of the award should be adhered to, pending a sitting of the Disputes Committee, and the position will be put to the men tomorrow by their delegate who attended to-day’s conference.

“The employers are prepared, when the Waiana and Kaimiro men turn-to, to hold immediately a meeting of the disputes committee to deal with . the dispute,” said Captain R. S. Lewis, chairman of the Stevedores’ Association, after the conference. “Members on the employers’ side will be taken from our management committee, which will mean that the water,siders will be able to meet the local heads of shipping companies. There will be three of them. In the meantime we will await the decision of’ the men when they have the position outlined to them by the members of their executive who were present at the conference.” “There will be a meeting of the men at 8 o’clock to-morrow morning, and the position as outlined by the employers’ representatives will be put to them,” said Mr R. G. Jones, president of the Waterside Workers’ Union. “We still maintain that the employers have not kept to the agreement because the men have been down there to-day, ready and willing to work on other ships. They have been refused that right. Tho employers have not confined the dispute to the two ships, the Kaimiro and Waiana. If they like they can make the dispute local to those two ships and carry on tho work of the port. If incoming ships are not worked it will be a matter entirely for the employers, because the men will bo there, ready and'willing to do the work]” The matter under dispute was for the men to decide, added Mr Jones. Tho executive had not instructed the men to cease work, but had done everything possible to bring about a satisfactory solution. The employers had stated that they would not discuss the matter further until the two vessels concerned were being worked; yet, on tho other hand, the employers were refusing to man any other ships, thereby also breaking the agreement. “This is the outcome of the discontent that has been brewing for some time,” said Mr Jones. “The men consider that they have not been fairly treated in some matters, hut there is still no reason why the present trouble should not be confined to the two vessels concerned.” Should the men decide not to return to work after to-morrow’s meeting, and the •employers adhere to their attitude, some of the vessels arriving in the week-end will he affected. Tho port is particularly quiet at present, and the only vessels seriously affected are the two concerned in the dispute. The City of Glasgow and the Mataroa will arrive to-morrow to complete loading for overseas ports, and the Trienza is due on Sunday night with cargo from Nauru Island.