The Press FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1965. Unions Join Shipping Council

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30667, 5 February 1965, Page 10

The Press FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1965. Unions Join Shipping Council

The decision of the national executive of the Federation of Labour that its president (Mr T. E. Skinner) will represent it on the Exports and Shipping Council is welcome. Mr Skinner will bring to the council the weight of a wider range of workers than those who are directly concerned in the working of the ports and the transport system supporting them. The council already combines the efforts of producers, processors, shipping companies, harbour and railway authorities, and importers; and Mr Skinner will speak for and communicate with a great variety of workers whose jobs have a bearing on cargoes and shipping. Few of the proposals of the streamlining committees which reported last year could be given effect by the council without union co-operation. Too often in the history of the waterfront improvements have been frustrated for want of communication and trust. The council’s task is vital to New Zealand’s trading and Mr Skinner has a key place on the council.

It is now for individual unions to support + he port operations committees, in which they have the encouragement of the Federation of Labour. The harbour boards, employers, and businessmen will have to pull their weight, too. At this level, it is more important to appoint men who have an intimate knowledge of cargo-working and port transport. The Lyttelton committee, for example, could take an early look at the railway waggon supply, the clearance of cargo from the goods sheds, and the adequacy of penalty charges on the use of railway facilities for storage. Men who work and manage the port know how sensitive it is to waggon supply and how they depend upon the efficient use of the whole cartage and warehouse organisation.