Watersiders Go Back On Same Rates Of Pay

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30108, 17 April 1963, Page 10

Watersiders Go Back On Same Rates Of Pay

(New Zealand Press Association)

NEW PLYM., April 16. Watersiders went back to work at the New Plymouth port today under exactly the same conditions which led to a week-long stoppage. The men made the back-to-work decision at a meeting this morning, ending a stoppage which has idled the port since midday last Tuesday. The dispute threw about 300 watersiders out of work and meant a costly hold-up for four ships in the port, after a deadlock over rates of pay for gangs unloading general cargo from the sulphur carrier Springbank. The gangs demanded the same rates as men handling sulphur on the ship and they rejected an offer below the 2s 3d per hour sulphur rate.

But, when work resumed today, the general cargo gangs were still getting the same rate as before the dispute. The chairman of the New Plymouth Port Employers’ Association (Mr R. C. Stevens) said: “The position is back to normal—at the moment. All we know is that the men decided to go back to work.”

He said there were no immediate plans for discussions and there was no suggestion of an inspection of conditions by the port conciliation committee. There had been no new approach for extra rates for the Springbank.