DISPUTE AT PORT

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30534, 1 September 1964, Page 5

DISPUTE AT PORT

Employers Reply The Port Employers’ Association at Lyttelton was not “trying to get anr id the provisions of the award,” as claimed by the secretary of the Lyttelton Waterfront Workers’ Union (Mr R. Fergus), said a statement issued yesterday by the secretary of the employers’ association (Mr J. Twomey). The union’s claim was made after a dispute over the handling of cargo hatches aboard the Port Denison. The hatches were removed by the crew instead of the watersiders. “Mr Fergus well knows that there is complete machinery for settling disputes arising . out of the order under which the union works for us, and while we are prepared to take these matters to the proper authority, the union still resorts to strike action,” said Mr Twomey. “Mr Fergus omitted to mention that the waterside workers are paid for the time taken in handling hatches by ships’ crews and also receive a top hatch bonus on this class of vessel.”

Schoolboys’ Climb.—A party of boys from the Christchurch West High School Tramping Club, led by a master, Mr C. J. Telford, completed a traverse of the Avalanche PeakBealey Peak ridge in the Arthur’s Pass National Park on Saturday in excellent weather conditions. Five boys went with Mr Telford to the top of Bealey Park on Friday, and of these three were selected for the major traverse next day.