Tallow Work Causes Bad Feeling At Bluff

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30588, 3 November 1964, Page 14

Tallow Work Causes Bad Feeling At Bluff

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, November 2. A waterside union leader criticised the bulk tallow handling at Bluff today for slowness.

The firm that was the subject of his criticism then said there was time lost through waterside workers not at first allowing company drivers to handle company hoses.

Supplies of bulk tallow to the freighter Kwangsi at Bluff today were unnecessarily slow for the kind of economic port operation desired hy all. said the president of the South Island Federation of Waterside Workers (Mr R. W. Powley), also president of the Bluff Waterside Workers’ Union.

Mr A. A. Harper, manager of the Empire Forwarding Company, the carriers, said there had been no guarantee of work and noted that time was lost because drivers were at first not allowed by the waterside workers to help to lay out hoses, yet were called on to help later. Mr Powley said much overtime and possibly high shipping costs were incurred because an extra tanker was not used.

The shipping manager of J. B. Watson and Company, Mr J. N. Armstrong, confirmed a statement by Mr Powley that repeated efforts were made by the company to have a further tanker in use by the carriers. “We knew one was available, but our efforts were to no avail,” said Mr Armstrong. “Had the tanker been available it would have been much easier all round.

For the Empire Forwarding Company, Mr Harper replied that every tanker owned by the company was on the job. Instead of just two tankers with trailers, as claimed by Mr Powley, there were three tankers, of which two had trailers. The five tanks were at Bluff ready to start at 7 a.m. but, while there had been co-opera-tion before in laying out hoses, this time drivers were told not to touch anything. Waterside workers began laying out. As a result, pumping did not begin until 8.15 instead of about 7.15. On the question of tanker availability, Mr Harper said his company would have to hire any further tank. It had not been told loading was assured. OTHER CARGO In his statement, Mr Powley said waterside workers finished loading wool, meat and general cargo on to the Kwangsi about 3.30. About that time the union was approached to arrange for the men still pumping tallow to work extended hours and so enable the freighter to sail at midnight. There were two men on each of the two pumps on the wharf and they staggered their meal-hours instead of going as usual from six to ■ seven, said Mr Powley. Had an extra tanker been put on, the ship would have completed tallow loading at 6 p.m., and sailed at that time, which was low water. “The failure of the carrier to provide an extra tanker meant the waterside workers had to be employed from 6

o’clock to 9 o’clock at overtime rates —one hour double and two hours time and half for each of the four men. “It also meant extra berthage dues for the ship delayed unnecessarily for six hours, and extra time for lorry drivers. The six-hour delay could mean heavy costs to the shipowners. “This is not in keeping with the Port Streamlining Committee’s report aimed at doing away with unproductive time on the wharves. “When waterside workers are asked to work extended hours under conditions they would not normally work under, it is expected all efforts will be made by other parties to keep cargo in constant supply. “That the men have been handling bulk tallow does not mean they agree with the decision of the Waterfront Industry Tribunal judge, who ruled that loading should be done by a minimum of two men and if necessary in wet weather and by extended hours,” he said. Unfortunately, said Mr Powley, while laying down the various conditions for bulk tallow loading to continue, the judge failed to face up to the reality of automation. “The workers are entitled to consideration of, and will continue to seek, financial reimbursement because of automation’s reduction in the number of men needed for such jobs. “We are not averse to facing up to different conditions that may be necessary through the introduction of new gear on wharves, but we do expect . . . along with what other nations are entitled to . . . our share of the cake,” he said.