WATERFRONT WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 103, 3 May 1929, Page 9

WATERFRONT WORK.

| CHANGE IN CONDITIONS. NEW ENGAGEMENT SYSTEM. TRIAL FOR THREE MONTHS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. An important innovation in respect of lie engagement of waterside labour has '>een put into operation at Wellington, ~nd, Port Chalmers and Dunedin. The new system which was mutually agreed upon between the employers of .vaterside labour and the union, is to be given a three months' trial. Hitherto, there has been a morning and an afternoon call for waterside labour, men seeking work being engaged between the. hours of 7.45 a.m. and 9.45 a.m. and 1 p.m. and 2.45 p.m.. Under this system men who were not engaged at the' morning call, and especially those who lived at any distance form the waterfront, had to remain in the vicinity i.n the hope of getting a job at the afternoon call. This meant, in effect, that : n the majority of cases more men than were likely to be wanted presented themselves at the afternoon call on the chance if being engaged "Nomination Calls." Under the new scheme the afternoon -'all has been abandoned, the hours of '.he morning call have been extended to 10.45 a.m. and a system of nomination of men who may be required to start work ■at ships arriving in the afternoon lias been introduced. The nomination call -loes not apply on Saturdays, when the time for engagement is from 7.45 to 10.30 a.m. On Monday to Friday, inclusive. for ships which have not arrived •alongside the wharf, labour reqaured to "ommence work at 1.30 p.m. or later •nay be nominated at any time from 9 a.m. to the end of the call to attend at the place of engagement between 1.30 and 3 p.m. The foreman shall state the actual time between the above-named hours at which the men are to attend at the place of engagement and the nomination shall be either confirmed or cancelled within 15 minutes, from the time so sta.ted. If the nomination is confirmed or work

commenced the men shall be paid a minimum of two hours at the ordinary rate if they start before 5 p.m., or three hours at the overtime rate from G p.m. If the ship does not arrive or work is not commenced no payment shall be made, but the employer may either cancel the nomination or order the men back for a later time that day, but not earlier than two hours from the time for which they were nominated. This order back shall constitute a definite engagement and the men who attend the second time shall receive the minimum payment provided, ordinary time or overtime as the case may be. When a nomination call is cancelled the men nominated shall, if available at the labour stand, have preference of employment for the ship or job when labour is required, subject to the .provisions of the transfer clause. Transfer of Labour. While the nomination call is in force labour may be transferred after 1.30 p.m.. for the purpose of making up shortages in gangs oi; facilitating the dispatch of a ship which is finishing that night. Such transfer shall be allowed from one employer to another if necessary. If the

ship does not arrive at the time the men were nominated to attend and the employer confirms the engagement lie may in such case employ-, the men at any other ship or job worked by him until the ship for which the men were nominated arrives. While the nomination call is in force the employer shall, if he intends to work overtime, notify the men actually working or nominated to that effect not later than 4 p.m. Such order is to be a definite engagement. Nominated men may be engaged for the intervening period, provided such engagement does not interfere with their attendance at the call for which thev were nominated and provided further that there are no members of the union at the place of engagement competent and willing to acoe.pt employment.