WATERSIDE AGREEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 164, 11 July 1919, Page 9

WATERSIDE AGREEMENT.

WAITING FOR DECEMBER. (Special to "Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. In reporting to members of the Sew Zealand Waterside Workers' Federation on the agreement recently adopted securing increases of pay, the official organ of the Federation indicates that the whole question will have to be re-opened next December, when the agreement in regard to general working conditions will expire. The increased wages recently granted were made retrospective as from March. 13. but the men's official organ declares that it is not overjoyed over what has been obtained. '"The increases," it states, "barely meet the increased cost of living, and it is indeed doubtful if the standard of living of the watersider is bow as high as in pre-war days. The difficulties the waterside workers, and in fact all the progressive trade, unions have to face is the small increases which some of the trade unionists are satisfied with, and until labour is organised to raise wages as a whole there will he thie dead weight to carry. The agreement has till the end of 1919 to run, and we hope by that time the transport workers will be so organised that they will he able to secure not only an increase in wages, but a shortening of the hours of labour 3nd a general improvement in the conditions of toil on the waterfronts." 5