SEAMEN'S WAGES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2940, 28 November 1916, Page 5

SEAMEN'S WAGES

NEW DEMANDS IN AUSTRALIA EMPLOYERS' COMMENTS By ToleETaph-Prcss Assooiation-CopyrigiS (Rec. November 27, 8.50 p.m.) Melbourne, November 27. In view of the fact that the fiveyears' agreement between the Federated Seamen's Uniou of Australasia and the Commonwealth Steamship Owners' Association and others is nearing completion, the General Secretary of the Seamen's Union has written to the Owners' Association, hoping that the cordial relations between the two will continue, and submitting terms for a further agreement. This provides for all-round increases, as follow: — Boatswains, of over 4000-ton vessels, £10 ss. to £14 10s. ; boatswains of other vessels, and lamp-trimmers, £10 ss. to £12 10s.: able seamen, £9 ss. to £11 10s.; ordinary seamen, £7 ss. to £7 10s.; ordinary seamen, under eighteen years of ago, £6 ss. to £6 10s.; donkeymen, £12 ss. to £12 10s.; fireman greaser, £11 ss. to £14; greaser, £11 ss. to £13; fireman, £11 ss. to £12 10s.; trimmer, £9 ss. £o £11 10s. These rates are "per lunar month." A number of other claims regarding overtime payment, the number of hands to be carried, compensation, crew's menu, and treatment generally are involved. _ The secretary of the Owners' Association comments:—"The claim for payment per lunar instead of per calendar month will mean an additional month's payment, while the special menu for firemen will involve the employment of extra cooks and attendants." Ship-owners state that the increase in wages demanded does not nearly cover the liability, as the conditions sought to be imposed in many cases are almost prohibitory. Already, recently, groatly-incfeased wages and altered conditions warn granted in regard to officers, and similar concessions are being asked for the engineers. One prominent manager declared that the employers' present feeling is for a goslow policy. Apparently no remedy will be forthcoming until the end' of the war.