MEN BLAME SHIPOWNERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 53, 4 March 1925, Page 10

MEN BLAME SHIPOWNERS.

A "LOCK-OUT" TO "STARVE" THEM. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON; this day. A meeting of members of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union was held yesterday, and the following official report •was supplied by the secretary:—

"The question of the lock-out imposed by the employers of waterfront labour was discussed at length, and the following resolutions were unanimously agreed to: 'That this meeting of Wellington Waterside Workers' Union condemns the action of the shipping trust in their decision to lock-out waterside workers at the ports of Wellington and Lyttelton. The waterside workers challenge the legal right of the shipping trust to refuse to engage labour or to hold up industry until a guarantee is given by the Wellington and Lyttelton Unions. Since the lock-out was declared, at these two ports by the shipowners, the waterside workers have attended the place of engagement at each labour call, which is proof positive that they are willing to accept employment under the terms of the award, and demonstrates clearly that the shipowners are wholly responsible for the hold-up. In view of the fact that shipowners have declared a lock-out on the waterfront for the express purpose of starving waterside workers and their dependents into submission, this meeting requests the Waterside Workers' Federation to take immediate steps to obtain such financial assistance as may be necessary to relieve, any distress which may take place, and thereby prevent the shipowners from forcing the workers to submit to their dictation. The Federation is requested to circularise all labour organisations' in New Zealand, and to appeal to them for financial assistance for the purpose of supplying to those waterside workers and dependents who may need it the necessaries of life while they are being forced into compulsory idleness by shipowners.'

"As it is expected this look-out ■will be a long-drawn-out struggle, the Federation was also requested to communicate with the industrial unionists in Australia, and request from them financial assistance in order that the workers at Wellington and Lyttel.ton will not suffer any undue hardship during the time of the lock-out." No Apologies Needed.

A further resolution was carried as follows: "That as the shipowners have on several occasions previously resorted to a lock-out policy in order to compel waterside workers to accept their dictation, this union refuses to be coerced by this illegal action of the shipping trust, and is prepared to fight this lock-out policy to the bitter end. This meeting, therefore, directs all its members to [ attend at the place of engagement at each labour- call, and accept such employment as may be offered them, thus carrying out the terms of the award. This union ignores the absurd request of the employers for some sort of guarantee. The waterside workers at the ports of Wellington and Xyttelton. have not committed any breach of the award, and have therefore no apologies to make to the- public and no guarantee to offer the shipping trust to support the illegal action it has taken in declaring a lockout. We therefore refuse to commit an illegal act, even at the request of the employer. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act makes special provisions for the observance of awards and industrial agreements, and beyond these provisions the waterside workers are not prepared to go. We are prepared to abide by the law of the country, but not by shipping trust law." '"The:meeting further directed members of the union to do all in their power to assist transport by land or sea in order to mitigate as much as possible the hard-

j ship imposed on the public by the declaration of a lock-out by the shipowners. "The executive of "the Federation was further directed to communicate by cable with Mr. E. Bevin, secretary of the dock and rivereide section of the Transport Workers' Federation in Great Britain, and request the British transport workers to take such action as they may deem necessary to compel the shipping trust to revoke its policy of lock-out and starvation, which it illegally attempted to impose on the waterside workers of New Zealand."