AUCKLAND PORT REGISTER

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26484, 27 July 1951, Page 3

AUCKLAND PORT REGISTER

PURGE BY UNION STRENGTH MAY SOON BE INCREASED (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 26. The shortage of labour on the Auckland waterfront that has prevented the port from reaching full efficiency will soon be overcome. The Auckland Cargo Workers’ Union has completed a long check of its records, and will immediately purge the labour bureau register of the names of members who do not intend to return to the wharves. When this is done the register will be brought to full effective strength, and probably increased. At present there are more than 1600 names on the register, which gives workers the benefits of guaranteed wages. The total nominally exceeds the limit of 1550 laid down by the Port Conciliation Committee, but in practice the daily working strength of the union has rarely exceeded 1300. Daily absenteeism frequently involves 300 men. Up to 100 of these are men who have not reported for work for more than a few weeks.

The union has checked its rolls, and will immediately send telegrams to these members giving them three days to report. If they do not report, their names will be removed from the register. Estimates of the number needed to bring the labour force to effective strength vary, but 300 is thought to be a fair figure. It is expected that the Port Conciliation Committee will consider an increase in the bureau register as soon as the union completes its purge.