Trouble for new vessel

Press, 15 September 1976, Page 1

Trouble for new vessel

The chances of the Coastal Ranger’s sailing tonight on her first trip as a replacement for the Rangatira are not good. Watersiders have dug in their heels about redundancy.

The jobs of 36 watersiders and five tally clerks at Lyttelton’s steamer express terminal, and a similar number at the Wellington terminal, became redundant todav after the final sailing of the Rangatira last night.

Unless an agreement is reached concerning the working of the Coastal Ranger she will not be able to load or discharge cargo. Officials of the Waterside Workers’ Federation and the Union Steam Ship Company will meet this morning in Wellington to try to reach an early agreement to avoid delaying the Coastal Ranger, but late yesterday little hope was held of a compromise. It is believed the watersiders have demanded that the Union Company make

a payment into union funds equal to 12 months pay for all the men working both terminals. The sum payable is estimated to be "more than $500,000. It is believed that watersiders regard this payment as compensation for the loss of job opportunities, and as separate from any redundancy payments. It is also believed that watersiders may be pressing for the transfer Of all the men working the steamer express terminals to the sea cargo terminals at Wellington and Lyttelton.

However, it is not known whether this has been discussed in any detail by the two parties. The alternative is to have the men rejoin the general labour pools at Wellington and Lyttelton. This presents few difficulties in Lyttelton where, since Easter, the numbers on the bureau register have fallen well short of the demand for labour. Labour shortages in Wellington have not been so severe, though it is believed extra men could be absorbed without much difficulty.