SEAMEN'S STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 17, 15 October 1917, Page 6

SEAMEN'S STRIKE

SHIPOWNEES' CONDITIONS TO A CONFERENCE. It was mentioned on Friday (hat' the Wellington branch of the Shipowners' Federation has agreed to reopen negotiations with tho representatives of the Seamen's Union (as .desired by the latter), subject to certain conditions. These conditions were contained m a letter forwarded to the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. W. H. Hagger), who forwarded them on to the union in the form of the following letter "I have to inform you 'that f.t a meeting of this branch of the Shipowners! Federation, held to-day (Wednesday), it was ' dccidel to agree to a conference being held under the following conditions:— ' . "(1) Men to return to work immediately on the oonditions in force at the time tho vessels stopped running. "(2) Thaj; all matters in dispute, including two men in a watch, be dealt with by this lonference. ! "(3) That 1 any matter not' settled by the' conference be referred to the Arbitration Court, the decision of the Court to be binding on all parties. "(4) That the demands of the seamen ba submitted to the shipowners twenty hours before the conference takes place. The meeting was further ot the opinion that it was neither iccessary nor desirable to appoint a chairman such as is proposed." The letter was considered at the meeting. with the result notified in Saturday's Dominion, viz., that the union refused to have anything to do with the Arbitration Court and were prepared to discuss the watch-manning question round t.he table on lines suggested by the Minister of Marine.