Deck Officers’ Strike

Press, Volume C, Issue 29570, 20 July 1961, Page 12

Deck Officers’ Strike

Satisfaction with the end of, the deck officers’ strike is; modified by regret that it should ever have occurred.The merits of the dispute can hardly be judged by outside observers; but it is not easy to share the appreciation of the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) of the willingness of both parties to reach a settlement. The time for them to have shown that willingness was weeks ago, when it would have spared the country the spectacle of responsible officers’ resorting, or being forced to resort, to direct action. That was a serious blow to the maintenance of the good discipline on which the safety of men and ships at sea depends. Good may result, however, if bothj parties, learning from this unfortunate experience,

.resolve not to let an argument get out of control again. The handsome coni cessions won by the officers, Who admittedly had worked under grave difficulties in sailing short-handed, may be justified; but they could have been accepted more happily if they had been obtained some other way. Because the strike has not lasted very long it may not have caused much hardship. It has seriously interfered with the free flow of trade between the islands and between New Zealand and Australia at a more than usually inconvenient time. The compulsory conference called by Mr Shand seems to have been decisive, either by astute timing or good fortune. In either case he is entitled to credit for his success in resolving the deadlock.