Master Of Pilot Boat Earned £1374 Overtime

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30094, 30 March 1963, Page 12

Master Of Pilot Boat Earned £1374 Overtime

(New Zealand Pr»ss Association)

AUCKLAND, March 29 If the crew of the Auckland Harbour Board's pilot boat continues to work the weekly hours it does at present, a “serious accident” could be caused, it was submitted to the Arbitration Court sitting in Auckland today Mr R E Dawson representing the harbour board, said the hours on duty were not always continuous, but there was limited provision for the crew to gain rest on board Breaks between calls were not long enough to allow them sufficient sleep The court was hearing argument in the dispute between the Auckland Harbour Board and the Harbour Board Employees’ Union At issue is the board’s proposal to introduce shift work on the pilot launch Akarana Mr J B Glider, for the union, said shift work would cost the harbour board an extra £lO.OOO a year Mr Dawson said the calls upon the crew were best outlined by their earnings On March 24. 196.3. the basic ordinary wage for a master was £970 From April I. 1962 to that date his earn■ng* had been £2344 An engineer’s figures for the same period had been £938 and £2203 Mr J. B Gilder, national secretary of the Harbour Board Employees' Union.

said the union regarded the application as an attempt to create shifts on all pilot boats and tugs in New Zealand . Although there was compulsory pilotage at Auckland, shipping was generally not handled between 1030 pm. and 5 a.m Mr Gilder claimed that during the last 12 months the average daily hours actually worked by the pilot boat crew bad never exceeded seven hours, and on one month had averaged only four and a half hours. The remainder of the time they were being paid for represented periods on standby duty. He said the pilot boat service had always proved satisfactory, and there was po valid reason why the crew’s woakihg hours should be interfered with. The Court reserved Its decision.