Bid to beat container ban defeated

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32637, 19 June 1971, Page 18

Bid to beat container ban defeated

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 18.

An Auckland container-packing firm today tried to beat the Government ban on watersiders working in off-wharf depots—and received no containers.

The Union Steam Ship Company refused to supply containers to Seacons International, Ltd, at Mount Wellington, because the newlyestablished firm had hired two members of the Waterside Workers’ Union.

The managing director of Seacons (Mr T. McNicholl) said today that in hiring watersiders he was abiding by a Federation of Labour guideline of a few months ago that watersiders, and not storemen and packers, should be hired by consolidators (contained packers). The Government originally approved the guideline but had since changed its attitude, he said. Concerned about the higher rates of pay required for watersiders compared with rates for storemen and packers. the Government had decided not to allow watersiders to work in off-wharf depots until the Royal Commission, at present examining the whole question of container handling, had reported.

Mr McNicholl said his firm would seek legal advice on whether the Union Company’s action was a restrictive trade practice.

This afternoon he met the Auckland manager of the Union Company (Mr R. C. Stevens) and was told that until he had resolved the packing problem no shipping space would be allocated to his firm.

Mr McNicholl said that in a letter to his firm several days ago the Union Company

had said that unless Seacons International joined the New Zealand Freight Forwarders’ Association, centred in Auckland, the Union Company would not recognise it as a consolidator. The association, comprising most of the consolidation companies, hires storemen and packers in its depots. In the meeting today, Mr McNicholl said Mr Stevens had only recommended that Seacons join the association. “Mr Stevens also said that unless we were accepted by tile association as a member we would not get the same shipping rates,” he said. Seacons would seek advice on the legality of such an action. Mr Stevens could not be reached for comment tonight. Mr McNicholl said that as a result of numerous suggestions to join the association, his firm had applied this

week to do so—but so far he had received no reply.

The chairman of the association (Mr A. E. Richards) said tonight that it was a loose aggregation of consolidators set up for liaison with various Government departments and port autohrities. The industry was new, and required combined action when common problems arose.

The question of registration had never been raised, he said, but it could be considered.

The association had called a meeting for July 1, the earliest possible date, to consider the Seacons application. A letter had been posted to Mr McNicholl today advising him of the decision. UNION VIEW

The secretary of the Waterside Workers’ Union (Mr S. P. Ritchie) said today that the union was disturbed by the Union Company’s action in not supplying containers to Seacons.

“The Union Company has got no right to dictate to anyone whom they should employ,” he said. “If the Union Company is hurting one section of our members —those who are not members of the waterfront bureau—then the whole membership is bound to object to it.” The union would look into the question- next week.