Re-engagement Of Ferry Motormen Ordered

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32349, 15 July 1970, Page 1

Re-engagement Of Ferry Motormen Ordered

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 14.

The conciliator in the rail ferry dispute, Mr C. H. Benney, today directed that five motormen dismissed from the Aranui should be re-engaged.

If the dismissed motormen are refused engagement the matter is to be referred to the Government shipping master for a decision.

Mr Benney’s decision was made after two days of talks with the Seamen’s Union, the Merchant Service Guild and the Institute of Marine and Power Engineers in Wellington.

Crews will again be called tomorrow for both ferries, the Aranui and Aramoana, and if crews are signed on the Aranui is likely to sail at 2.20 p.m. The Aramoana may be out of drydock and ready to sail by 6.40 p.m. Mr Benney gave his decision to the Secretary of Marine (Mr R. N. Kerr) late this afternoon. He directed that officers on the ferries should immediately implement the terms of an interim agreement, made in May, on the use of a roster system for seamen. He also instructed the Seamen’s Union to ensure that in any future dismissals the

dismissed man should not be placed at the top of the roster list for re-engagement “If any such case does arise in future, I recommend the shipping master, if the matter is disputed before him, to give serious consideration as to whether the engagement of such a man at that timfe could reasonably be construed as nullifying the act of dismissal and also . weakening the authority of : the captain,” Mr Benney , said. In his opinion the five dismissed men had been adequately penalised for their ■ offence. “I see no justifica- , tion whatsoever for any fur- ; ther delay in implementing the terms of the interim . agreement” j The length of the stand- , down period for a dismissed ' man Should be left to the discretion of the shipping master in any disputed cases, Mr Benney said. The secretary of the Merchant Service Guild (Captain J. W. Dickinson) said tonight that the guild was satisfied that its basic objection to the disrni sed seamen being automatically put on the top of the roster had been recognised by Mr Benney. “But we are disappointed that the conciliator has chosen to refer the matter back to the Government shipping master for a decision in view of a statement by the Minister of Marine that the shipping master is not the appropriate person to adjudicate in this dispute,” Captain Dickinson said.