WATERSIDE WORK AT AUCKLAND

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26514, 31 August 1951, Page 10

WATERSIDE WORK AT AUCKLAND

Permanent Force To

Be Engaged AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, Aug. 30 Auckland will become the first major port in the world with a full force of permanently-employed cargo workers under an agreement reached in principle between the Auckland branch of the Port Employers’ Association and the Auckland Cargo Workers’ Union. Men on the Auckland bureau register will receive a regular weekly wage, with attendance money and incentive payments in addition to any overtime they may work. The scheme will be given three months’ trial before the union makes a final decision by secret ballot

The parties have approved a number of basic principles, and discussions on detail will begin to-morrow. The following statement by the two parties was made to-night:—After exhaustive and amicable discussions extending over a period of several weeks, representatives of the Auckland Maritime Cargo Workers’ Union and the Auckland branch of the Port Employers’ Association have agreed on basic principles which provide for the employment of cargo workers at the port of Auckland on a regular basis. “These principles were placed before a full meeting of the union to-day and approved by an overwhelming majority for a trial period of three months, final acceptance to be decided by secret ballot

“The basic principles which have been agreed upon, in the opinion of the parties concerned, represent an outstanding advance in the conditions applying to waterfront work. This has previously been carried on throughout the world on a casual basis. This new understanding and closer relationship between workers and employers in the port of Auckland after a decade of unrest and poor work will not only benefit both sides of the industry, but by speeding the handling of cargo and the turn-round of ships will assist the prosperity of the city of Auckland and, indeed, of the Dominion, and provide Great Britain with the food she so badly needs.

Principles Approved “The basic principles are as follows: “(1) Pay at the rate of £8 15s a 40hour week, plus an attendance bonus of 3s a day for each day on which a cargo worker attends for employment, regardless of the number bf hours worked on that day. Overtime will be worked as is customary. “(2) Endowment insurance with death benefits, based on an equal contribution from both the employer and the cargo workers. “(3) Sick leave on pay on up to seven days in any 12 months for illness not covered by workers’ compensation.

“(4) Two weeks’ paid annual holiday, increasing to three weeks after 10 years’ service. “(5) Contract of service to provide for three months’ notice by the employer, and two weeks’ notice by the cargo worker. “(6) Adequate time off after completion of specified periods of hours worked.

"(7) Establishment of a co-operative housing scheme for cargo workers, financed jointly by the union and the employers, subject to the satisfactory development of plans now under active consideration.

“It is further proposed to make recommendations for the introduction of a revised incentive scheme based on the principle that for equal effort a cargo worker shall receive approximately equal incentive reward, irresspective of the type of cargo or ship concerned.

“The conditions outlined here will embrace all cargo workers on the bureau register. Cargo workers employed under this agreement will not be required to perform any work other than normally performed by cargo workers.

.."It A?, em Phasised by both parties that this agreement in no way cuts across the rights and principles of sound trade unionism, and, furthermore, shows what can be accomplished by sane negotiators who freely accept the principles of conciliation and arbitration.”