WATERSIDE WORKERS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14918, 17 March 1914, Page 2

WATERSIDE WORKERS.

THE PREFERENCE QUESTION

OLD AND NEW UNIONISTS

DEPUTATION TO MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.

At the Trados Hall yesterday morning delegates representing the Lyttelton Wharf Labourers' Union, consisting cf Messrs H. R. Voyce, J. Wilson, and R. M. Stewart (secretary), conferred with Messrs H. G. Ell, T. H. Davey, L. M. Isitt, and J. McCombs, members of Parliament, on tho subject of the preference extended to waterside workers. Mr __. J. Howard (secretary ol tlio General Labourers' Union) was also present. Mr George Wiuy, M.P., sent an apology, in wnich he stated that- he would work in conjunction with the other members of Parliament. Mr Voyce- stated that the object of the meeting was to discuss the method oi employing Labour on ilie Lyttelton wharves. It was thought that the members of Parliament might be able to bring about a solution of the trouble. At present employer, gave preference to members of the new union, of whom about •')') per cent, wore bingie men. '1 tie result was that many maimed men. who had laige fa mi lie.-, and a snake in the country, were not getting a lair share of work. The operations at port were being directed by" tlio Delcnce Committee in Ciirk-tchurui, ami it was .<-ugge;tcd thr.t that body should be approached. It promised to ba a hard winter, and unless some definite step was taken at once, tlie.e would be gieat, destitution. Si--veial men who' bad been trying to gee a little home together had been tolu mat _ln*y w_uld ii.eve to quit the premises. Replying to Mr fill, lie said that it was desirao'o that married ine;» should get prefeier.ee. Mr Vilson s..id that the delegates were asking for assistance to maintain law and order. New arrivals in the country were receiving preference at Lyttelton, and that was obviously unfair. Preference was being given irrespective of mcri';. There was men in Lyteltou who had stood by the country's industries, but who were now placed in an' unfair position, and unless something were done he thought that Mr Massey would be asked to provide relief works. There were one hundred and twenty men in port who were being given preference. Every morning the ex-strikers were left in a body, without work. He thought Mr Voyce understated things when he said that 50 pel cent, of the may receiving preference were single men. The employers were applying the lash, and the.position, to a large number of men, was untenable. • Replying to .Mr Davey, he said that some" of tho men receiving preference were fnir to the ex-strikers, but most o. them were against them. Mr Voyce said that it was understood that preference would be given up to February 20th, but that after that date bygones would be bygones. ' Mr Wilson said that although they were members of the Union now, there was a marked distinction when men were being selected for work —the exstrikecs being told to stand apart from the others. Mr iStewart said that the employers had guaranteed the preference men £2 10s per week for three months, and that term expired on February 18th. Mr Davey said that tho position was a delicate one. Apparently tho employers were giving preference to. the men who had stood by them. Mr McCombs said that there had been shorn business, in filing an agreement in order to prevent the men taking advantage of the Arbitration Act. The employers had victimised the men, but had been sufficiently astute to keep within the provisions of the Act. Something should be done to help the exstrikers. The shipping business was conducted in the interests of the whole community. What> was wanted here' was a- Mr Holman, who would tell the shipping companies that unless they considered the interests of the community the State would step in and bring about . an improvement. He read a letter, addressed by him to Messrs Watkins, Garrard, and Ferriei executive for the Shipping Companies' Federation, and dated January 12th, in which he dealt with the position at considerable length. ■ Continuing, Mr McCombs said that the reply he received was to the effect that _ Messrs Watkins, Garrard, and Ferrier were willing to meet the executive of the union and discuss the matter. Mr McCombs said that that would be useless, as the executive were creatures of their own creation. Mr Voyce said that the old Stevedores' Union was opposed to the agreement because it provided that the union could not affiliate with any other body. Mr McCombs said that tho men took a bitter pill in the shape of dictation in regard fo internal management on the condition that preference against ex-strikers should cease on February 20th; but it had not ceased. Mr Stewart said that some of the men were absolutely incompetent. Mr Wilson said that cabmen, expolicemen, and other outsiders had preference and were given easy work. It was held that easy work should be given to the physical wrecks who had been brought to that condition by working on the wharves. Mr Isitt asked- if the delegates knew how tho agreement was arrived at. Mr W'itson said they did not. The whole thing was an attempt to break up organised labour, and to do so the employers were prostituting the Arbitration Act. They were determined not to have any union iv L_*ttolton, and if a man was at all militant he was given no work. He, himself, had had no work for close on a, fortnight. If an old unionist had a row witn a. new unionist the last-mentioned laid a complaint, and the old unionist was put off the beach. Old unionists had reported two new unionists who were drunk, and who challenged ex-strikers to fight, but no action was taken. j Replying to Mr Jill, Mr Stewart said that members of the old Steve- . dores' Union who joined after December 24th were not receiving preference. Mr Davey said that the members of Parliament had a difficult task before them. It was evident that the employers .vere recognising the efforts of the men who helped to break the strike. Mr Howard, secretary ot the General Labourers' Union informed th-m that there were about two hundred men l bers of than union out of work, and he [ thought :t would be well to appeal to the Government for work for them as well as Tor those out of work in Lytteiton. He thought they ought to approach the employers in a little more spirit than that of Mr iicCombs's letter. (To the deputation): "You have had to eat the leek?'' A member of the deputation: Yes, we admit that. Mr Davey (continuing): And you are being punished, and 1, for one, am prepared to have that punishment minimised. The employers, however, ' hold the key of the position, and we will have to" approach them in a fairly ' amicable, equitable, and honest man- ' ner. Mr Isitfc said that it was a very extreme and objectionable stand for any \ body of employers to take that single \ men should be given preference oyer , married men who had been a long time , at Lytt.lton. It the olive branch was [ extended, the employers were not sup- [ posed to maintain the vendetta, j Mr Davey: That is what the deputa- . tion wants us to do—to hold o _£ tli© I olive branch. i Mr Vovce said that he felt sure that the members of the Christchurch Defence Committee were not as cognisant ( of the state of affairs m Lyttelton as I those who were governing the work . there. L On Mr Davev's suggestion Mr Ell, as

senior member undertook to find out the personnel of the Defence, • Com, mittee and arrange for a meeting beSJeen the committee and the member, of Parliament. . Mr Voyce thanked the members of Parliament for. neoting tliem and trusted that their efforts would be successful.