WHARF WORK AT WELLINGTON

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27177, 22 October 1953, Page 12

WHARF WORK AT WELLINGTON

APPEAL TO UNIONS TO CO OPERATE CASUAL AND PERMANENT ORGANISATIONS (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 21. Mr J. Roberts, representing the South Island Waterfront Workers’ Federation, and Mr J. E. Napier, representing the North Island Waterfront Workers’ Industrial Association, today appealed to the permanent waterfront union at Wellington to work with them under one agreement. The Wellington Maritime Cargo Workers’ (Permanent) Union was applying to the Waterfront Industry Tribunal for a new principal order for conditions of employment. This was opposed by the South Island Waterfront Workers’ Federation and by the North Island Waterfront Workers’ Industrial Association and its affiliate, the Wellington Waterfront Workers’ Industrial Union of Workers, known as the casual union.

The secretary of the permanent union (Mr G. Roelants) said his union and the employers had reached complete agreement on conditions in the, proposed order., He added that his union had a good record on the water? front, and there jyas no valid reason why the application should be opposed.

Mr. V. P. Blakeley, who appeared for the New Zealand Port Employers* Association, said this application was a consent order, as complete agreement had been reached. The previous order, which had been approved by the Court of Arbitration, had expired, and the new order was an improvement on the old one. Appearing for the South Island Waterfront Workers* Federation, Mr Roberts said his federation strongly objected to there being two separate agreements for work on the waterfront'.

“Getting Dribs and Drabs’* “I think the time has come for unions on the waterfront to settle their differences and work together under one agreement,” he said. “I understand the casual union wants this. Many of our unions in New Zealand are doing b< tter work than the' permanent union at Wellington. The casual union at Wellington is getting only the dribs and drabs of work.” Mr Napier, for the North Island association and the Wellington casual union, objected to the inclusion in the proposed order of the clause guaranteeing preference of work to the permanent union.

“Every man willing and capable and who is accepted on the bureau register for the port should enjoy an equal amount of the work offering according to his classification,” he said. “If this were given effect to, dual unionism on the Wellington waterfront would disappear, and a much more congenial atmosphere would prevail, to the ultimate benefit of the industry.” The hearing is to be resumed-to-morrow morning.