Ferry manning disputed

Press, 2 July 1985, Page 9

Ferry manning disputed

PA Nelson The Nelson-Wellington freight ferry proposal has again struck stormy weather in a dispute over manning levels. Pacifica Shipping’s chairman, Mr Brooke McKenzie, said agreement had not been reached with the Waterside Workers’ Federation over the number of men needed to work the newly arrived Spirit of Competition. The Spirit of Competition will do the Wellington-Lyt-telton run, allowing her sister ship, The Spirit of Free Enterprise, to make a weekly return service between Nelson and the capital. Mr McKenzie yesterday threatened to pay the Spirit of Competition off and lay her up if satisfactory manning levels could not be agreed to.

He made a similar response in May when the Cooks’ and Stewards’ Union

demanded that the vessel carry three of its members. The vessel was delayed in Melbourne until Pacifica agreed to the union demand.

Mr McKenzie was unsure of the precise manning level sought by the watersiders, but said a 50 per cent increase over the numbers of men working the Spirit of Free Enterprise had been talked about. “It really gets back to the number of men required to do the job,” he said, “The onshore costs for a shipping operation are very, very expensive. At the end of the day there has to be something in it for the people taking the risks financially. “If there’s nothing in it and it purely supplies the needs of others, why should one lose money to keep people employed?” The manning dispute has been referred to the Waterfront Industry Tribunal, but a hearing may not be held until early August.

The Waterside Workers’ Federation secretary, Mr Sam Jennings, said the manning negotiations concerned the whole Welling-ton-Nelson-Lyttelton run and not just the new vessel. “Let’s not forget that Pacifica has been working on an interim agreement which we let run on for two years,” he said. “What we did was give the interim agreement without any hassle to let the service begin. “Pacifica has had it good for the last two years. To consider that it will continue for two ships is ludicrous,” said Mr Jennings.