WATERFRONT INQUIRY

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26538, 28 September 1951, Page 8

WATERFRONT INQUIRY

UNION SUBMISSIONS AT NEW PLYMOUTH REFERENCE TO FREIGHT RATES (New Zealand Pre*' Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, September 27. “A full and complete examination of the industry cannot be adequate unless there is also a full inquiry into shipping freight rates, including the way they are determined and, in particular, their relation to waterside workers’ costs. The union considers it is not alone in this opinion, as other sections of the community have recently expressed their disapproval in public at the manner in which the 50 per cent, surcharge was imposed and the 7j per cent, surcharge was placed on cargo handled at Auckland.” This comment was made by the New Plymouth Waterfront Workers’ Union before the Royal Commission on the Waterfront Industry to-day. The union is the first, in New Zealand to prepare submissions and take part in the inquiry. The union’s written submissions said that recent reports would appear to indicate a vast improvement in the rate of handling cargo, but there had been no suggestion of any reduction in freight rates. “These matters, of course, are not within the order of reference to the Royal Commission, and the union considers that consequently the full investigation of the industry is prevented,” it added.

“The old days of insecurity of employment and inequality in the allocation of work have gone,” the union said. “The arbitrary methods of the past have been replaced by a decasualised system, with equal division of work, attendance money, incentives for quicker work, guaranteed wage, employment registers, and better amenities. The important thing is, with genuine goodwill on both sides (for both have been at fault over the years), to endeavour to find with the aid of an independent and experienced commission a satisfactory settlement of the variety of matters which must inevitably occur in such a complicated and extensive industry.” Bureau System Favoured The union said it had not been able to consider the question of permanent labour employment, and could not usefully make any comments. The union felt that the guaranteed wage and daily attendance payments had already largely decasualised the industry. It was firmly in favour of the bureau system of engagement. To return to the “auction block” system of selection, or anything akin to it, could only create far more serious disharmony in the industry and a great loss of efficiency. “The gang system is unworkable m New Plymouth,” the union said. “We do not consider a shift system is workable.”

The union said it was strongly in favour of retaining commission control The system had brought about substantial decasualisation and provided e quick method of settling disputes, and it had worked well in New Plymouth “It is realised that the system may not be perfect, but the union does consider the position would have been far worse without the present form of control. The actions of the workers have on occasions been unwise, and perhaps this comment may apply to other parties in the industry also. The union, however, still considers the present system, if applied with goodwill on both sides, could result in a satisfactory state of affairs.”