Port not affected yet by tug ban

Press, 18 October 1976, Page 6

Port not affected yet by tug ban

The eight-hour work ban by tugmasters has had no i effect so far on shipping i movements at Lyttelton. The only arrival at the port ; yesterday was the Coastal I Ranger, which needs a tug only in heavy weather. She I berthed without incident at ; 6.55 a.m

No shipping movements are scheduled at Lyttelton todav.

Tugmasters throughout New Zealand are refusing to work between midnight and 6 a.m. each day, after a breakdown in their award negotiations. The ban took effect yesterday. The secretary of the New Zealand Merchant Service Guild (Captain J. W. Dickinson) said last evening that the ban would continue until the employing harbour boards offered firm proposals regarding the tugmasters’ main de-mand-eight consecutive hours off in a 24-hour period.

The ban slowed shipping movements at Auckland yesterday . The Coastal Trader arrived there before 8 axn. and berthed unaided. But the Port Challenger was forced to wait until tugs were available, and three other vessels —the Straat Fremantle, Begonia, and Triadic—spent last night in the stream. All three are expected to berth after 8 a m. today;