WATERSIDE WORKERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 251, 22 October 1924, Page 12

WATERSIDE WORKERS.

BEFORE ARBITRATION COURT. CIiAIJI DOMINION AWARD. (By Telegraph.—Press Aseociattou.) DUJreDEST, Tuesday. The Arbitration Court tn-day reeumed hearing of the watersiders' claim for a. Dominion award. Mr. Roberts (for the union) stated that the employers hod created a new calendar to determine the number of u-eeks worked, i.e., a 39-hour week, but this existed onry in the minds of the . employers. hi no other occupation ■where an hourly rate applied waa the average weekly rate calculated on the number of weeks worked per year. 1" order to give the Court information how much overtime or money was earned, working special cargoes had to be included in calculating the living wage. The Federation had issued time books to members. These returns shoved that at the ports of Kelson, Oamaru, l'icton and Onehunpi, the average time was 17.3S hours ordinary, 4.C:i overtime, 1.24 special, and meal hours, the amount earned being £1 17/8 ordinary, 15/ overtime, and (i/4 special, making a total of !£2 l!)/4. Returns from Timaru, New Plymouth. Gisborne, Napier, Wanganui, and Bluff showed that 320 men worked 28.01 hours per week, earning average 29.82 hours per week, each, earning £3 14/7. For the same ports from January to June of this year the hours averaged 30.08 and the earningß £3 16/2. The method ■used by the employers of including all wages in computing the weekly average lowered the basic wage. The only fair methods of computation were" the average hours of ordinary time, plus overtime hours worked before eight hours ordinary time, completed into one day, or to include all hours ordinary time and overtime, the latter being treated also as the ordinary basing hourly rate for general cargo. From a return eabmitted the present hours at the main porta did not exceed 30, and the union claimed 2/9 an hour, giving ,£i 2/ti weekly. Bluff, Timaru, Napier, Gisborne, New Plymouth and Wangajiui averaged 28 hours, and the wages claim was 2/11 or £4 1/8 a week. Called by Mr. Roberts, Oscar Mcßrine, president of the Auckland Waterside Workers' Union, said there was no case for reduction of wages, but there was strong reason why they should he increased, even if freight charges were reduced. The secretary of the Port Chalmers Union, Austin Campbell, said the wages paid for repair work were far too low compared with other sections of wateraide labour. Probably the greater majority of the repair workers earned under £3 per week. He had followed rigging work, liut.left it because he had found there was hot enough in it. The president of the New Zealand "Waterside Workers' Federation, L. Glover, a member of the Wellington and National Disputes Committee, said that during the period of the last award 129 disputes had been heard by the Wellington, committee, and at least one-third of these had. been over dirt money in reapect of basic slag, phosphates, and superphosphates. The National Committee had dealt with 130 disputes, .20 of which had been referred to the Court. The flret witness for Mr. Smith, Tepreaenting the employers, was Captain Munro, fcrafllj manager for the Yicihugton Harbour Board, who said that in Wellington the men on the' wharf and the men in the hold were two distinct bodies.- . Conditions on the wharf and in the hold were <yuite different, and the board coald not consent to the same pay being given in the case of obnoxious cargo. He thought the clause prohibiting intoxicating liquors very desirable. AVitness put in a statement showing that there were 254 registered casual employees of the . Harbour Board, and they averaged for the year ended September 30, £4 10/3 a week. All the old men were included in the return. James Henry Duncan, manager for H. l>. Tapley and Co, Dunedin,. did not agree that an extra rate should be paid for a small amount of dirty cargo. Captain /Webb, wharf superintendent •Tor the Union Steam Ship Company at Wellington, eaid he considered handling coal to crone grabs just as easy as trimining it in bulk. Other evidence dealt with special cargo demands, including plaster, tanning bark, and benzine. One witness, Captain Whyte, said they did not get as good work now from watersiders as they did in 1914. The men were 15 to 20 per cent below that standard.