REPLY BY F.O.L.

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32775, 27 November 1971, Page 21

REPLY BY F.O.L.

(N.Z. Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Nov. 26. The Federation of Labour president (Mr T. E. Skinner) today accused a Waikato fanner of waging an unwarranted attack on seamen and waterside workers. Yesterday, Mr T. Jew, of Ngaruawahia, was reported to have claimed that the F.O.L. had sanctioned gratuity payments to seamen for shipping stock to Western Samoa, costing an aid project $BOOO. He was also reported to have criticised the work rate of watersiders when cattle were loaded in Auckland. Mr Skinner said he had referred a letter from Mr Jew concerning shipment of cattle, to the Seamen’s Union. Apart from that, “the F.O.L. had nothing to do with it. The only handling charges made by the seamen were charges they were entitled to,” Mr Skinner said.

Mr Jew should remember that employers recently praised watersiders in Auckland for setting a record for container handling in the ACT, he said. The Auckland secretary of the deregistered Seamen’s Union (Mr L. R. Anderson) said the payments were either lowered or passed over as seamen’s contribution to the islands farm project.