Interim Decision In Watersiders’ Favour

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30964, 21 January 1966, Page 3

Interim Decision In Watersiders’ Favour

(Xetc Zealand Preu Association) WELLINGTON, January 20. Wellington watersiders’ requests for four men to load pallets of butter on the cargo ship Otaki were met today in an interim decision by the chairman of the Port Conciliation Committee, Brigadier F. L. Hunt.

Brigadier Hunt said he would watch loading again before making a final decision.

Watersiders went back to work this morning after a 24hour stoppage that had kept 12 overseas and three coastal ships idle. The men returned to work after a stop-work meeting lasting just over an hour. Later the committee watched butter loading and then met for several hours. After the meeting Brigadier Hunt said: "During the period that the Port Conciliation Committee viewed the loading of the palletised butter at the Otaki there was a complete lack of co-opera-tion by the two union men employed, and perhaps some obstruction with a view to endeavouring to satisfy the committee that more than two men were required to perform the job satisfactorily. "In view of the manner under which the work was performed I am not prepared to make a decision as to how

many men should be employed on the wharf for this operation till I have an opportunity to view further loading operations. "The employers and the union disagree with the interpretation of a recent agreement made as to the wharf manning where fork lifts are used at the ship’s side,” Brigadier Hunt said. “This agreement has not yet been made a tribunal order, and in view of the i strong difference of opinions j between the parties I am not prepared to make a decision on this agreement. “I direct that the matter be referred back to the . national negotiators with a j view to clarifying the posi- ' tion.” Brigadier Hunt said that at i another hatch on the Otaki cartoned cheese was being I loaded on pallets similar to the loading of butter, except that the empty pallets from ! the cartoned cheese were from time to time returned I to the wharf. With the butter

the pallets remained in the hold. “The employers have agreed to the use of four men on the wharf for loading palletised cheese and there does not appear to be a great deal of difference between the amount of work for the men on the wharf loading palletised cheese—including the [handling of the empty pallets —and the loading of pallet- : ised butter excluding the empty pallets.” Brigadier Hunt said. “I am of the opinion that i for this vessel only, and to enable the national negotiators to clarify their agreement or until such time as the Port Conciliation Committee has had an opportunity of viewing a fair demonstration of loading palletised butter, that four men should be employed on the wharf, and I direct accordingly.” The secretary of the union, Mr G. Taua, said the decision, “which supplies the number of men to handle the pallets requested by the union, is the practical answer to what could have been a serious dispute. “If the introduction of modern methods on the wharves causes unfair working conditions it will be resisted and opposed. “There is ample scope for agreement to be reached on , all issues, but if future attempts to introduce changed methods are sought on the employers terms only, without consideration to the conditions of the waterside workers, further disputes will inevitably occur,” Mr Tuau said. At 2.30 p.m. today about 40 cartons of butter slipped from the tray on which they were being lifted aboard the Otaki. They fell some feet to the wharf. The union said that this was evidence that two men could not handle the pallets of butter.