Stalemate in L.P.G. ship dispute

Press, 25 May 1984, Page 4

Stalemate in L.P.G. ship dispute

PA New Plymouth The dispute over who should use valves on the carrier Tarihiko appears to be at a stalemate. The vessel remains idle at Port Taranaki, no closer to taking its first load of Maui liquefied petroleum gas to the South Island. The job of opening and closing the 40 manual valves and nearly 100 instrument and drain valves on the Tarihiko has gone to

the ship’s cargo officer, a member of the Merchant Service Guild, instead of a member of the Seamen’s Union, as has traditionally been the case. There was some confusion yesterday about how the talks between the union, guild and the ship’s managers, the New Zealand Shipping Corporation, were progressing.

While the corporation was saying it had had talks yesterday with both the

guild and the union, the latter said it had not been involved in talks for two days. The corporation said it had an agreement with the seamen before the Tarihiko left Wellington for New Plymouth that valves would be operated by guild members, and that seamen could observe the procedures on the vessel’s maiden voyage. The seamen deny there was ever such an agreement.

They say they were always led to believe they would be working the valves under deck officer supervision, and only found otherwise when they arrived at New Plymouth. The corporation and the union say the issue is now a demarcation dispute. The guild says it is not, and that it has no argument with either the corporation or the seamen.