WATERSIDE CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 125, 19 February 1921, Page 8

WATERSIDE CRISIS

SITUATION DEVELOPING SLOWLY AN IDLE PORT NEXT WEEK SHIPOWNERS MAKE ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT The waterside dispute did not develop to any extent in Wellington yesterday, and apparently it will not reach a serious stage until next week. In the meantime the two parties—the shipowners and tho waterside workers—are both wearing an appearance of determination. The shipowners state definitely that .no labour will be engaged, except for the ferry steamers, until the Waterside Workers’ Federation has given satisfactory guarantees that work will be resumed and maintained under normal conditions. The federation has not yet made any reply, but yesterday the men still working in the port all refused to continue after 5 p.m. This decision was a. direct defiance of the employers’ demand for the observance of the agreement.

The appearance of the port of Wellington yesterday was not abnormal. The companies, which had decided to keep the ferry services in operation for the present, engaged labour in tho morning for the steamers Wahine, Mapourika, Arahura, and Kaitoa, . Most of tho other vessels in port, were being worked by gangs engaged earlier .in the week. No oversea ship requiring labour had arrived in the port since the. preceding morning. The maintenance of the ferry services is largely a matter of public convenience, and a representative of the companies, stated yesterday that tho boats connecting the two islands would not be brought into tho dispute at present. But under present conditions the shipowners naturally are unable to say what will happen from day to day. If the present state of affairs continues, the port will be almost idle by Wednesday next. Nearly all the waterside workers now under engagement will have been discharged by then, and the ships arriving in the port will have been tied up to await a settlement. Several colliers are in Wellington at present, and their discharge is being continued. Another of the Union Company’s colliers, the Koranui, is due here to-day from Fort Kembla with coal, and the Garbeta is due to arrive on Tuesday with a full load of coal from Newcastle. No labour will be engaged here for these vessels until the dispute has been ended. The stocks of coal in Wellington are not large, but no serious difficulty in this respect is to be anticipated unless . tli«r dispute proves a lengthy one. The accumulation of idle ships in the port will be fairly rapid. The Kanna, arriving from Auckland this morning, has a large consignment of sugar aboard, in addition to general cargo. It happens that Wellington is not suffering any shortage of sugar at present, but the consumption is heavy owing to the jam season. The Kanna’s sugar /nay be needed badly if it has to remain aboard the steamer for many days. 'The Kaituna is bringing cement from Whangarei, and the supplies are needed in the city. A serio-us problem will be created by the arrival of tho Flora today with dairy produce for transhipment. to overseas stewiers. This produce cannot be kept aboard the Flora for many days without danger of deterioration.

The overseas vessels due to reach Wellington within the next few days include the following:— Pakeha, due to-day from Picton, to complete her loading for Home. Northumberland, due to-day from Auckland. to continue the discharge of her cargo from New York.

Ruahine, due to-day from Napier, for Homeward loading. ' Dorset, due to-morrow from Napier, for Homeward loading. West Camargo, due to-morrow from Napier to continue the discharge of her cargo from San Francisco. Otarama, due on Wednesday from Auckland, to continue the discharge of her Liverpool cargo. Opawa, due mi Thursday from Tokomaru Bay, for Homeward loading. Athenic, due on Tuesday from London and Southampton. Alcana, due on Tuesday from Sydney.

Port Hacking, due on Wednesday from Napier to continue the discharge of lief cargo from New York. Tarawera, due on Thursday from Syd. ney, via southern ports. The employers of waterside labour in Wellington have informed tho union that on and after Monday next waterside workers will be required to continue work uh' , T a whistle indicates that knocking off time has arrived. The men, in other worus, will be required to work all the time for which they are paid. It has been the custom of the watersiders to stop from ten to twenty minutes before the proper time, and the employers in the past have protested in vain against tfiis practice. The men, in stopping work before the proper time, have been taking advantage v.f clause 22 of the agreement, which re nils:

"Except as provided by clause Iff (dealing with meal hours), men shall be paid for each fraction of half an hour as if It were a full half-hour.”. This clause was intended to cover cases iin.-re ‘Ti& employer required the men to contThne work into a new half-hour. But the agreement did not contemplate the.: men engaged for eight hours’ work would cut £he time by working only part of the last "half-hour in the morning and the afternoon. The employers state now that any man who stops work before the signal is given will be docked half no hour’s pav. The watersiders are to work the full time for which they are engaged. The employers have been pressing this pltnUunsuccessfully for the better part of a year- p , The coastal boats trading from D el--I'ngton will be detained in the port as (hev arrive here, and if the .situation ttoes not change they will all he. idle before t'he end of next week. The city is not in an immediate danger of a shortage of produce, especially if the ferry stenners remain in service, but the stoppage orifSb coastal craft will reduce supplies. “NQTHInFtO REPORT” FEDERATION OFFICIALS OUT OF TOWN. Mr. J. G. Bruce (secretary of the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union) had nothing to report yesterday afternoon when approached by a reporter. Messrs. L. Glover (president of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Federation) and J. Roberts (secretary of the organisation) were both absent from Wellington yesterday. Mr. Roberts was in Christchurch, and Mr. Glover in Auckland. It is possible that Air. Roberts will return to Wellington to-day. The whole trouble has no.v been placed in the hands of the New Zealand Federation, and it is likely that an official statement from that body will be forthcoming in the early part of next-week.

EXTREMIST LEADERS A LABOUR CONDEMNATION

Severe condemnation of the methods practised by the extremists on the waterfront, and in the Labour world generally, was expressed by a well-known trades union official yesterday in conversation with a Dominion reporter. “This continued pin-pricking is doing the Labour movement no good," remarkel the official. "The action of the watersiders in refusing the lionus offered by the employers was a very foolish thing, but the Seamen’s Union was wise in deciding to accept the offor made to them.

The seamen took up the attitude that they would only fight for a principle that was worth lighting for; they do not want to go in for this 'irritation’ business. You see, the seamen are getting what they consider to be fair wages just now, but they will probably concentrate on securing better conditions on board the ships in the way of improved accommodation, etc. But the watersiders and the miners are always causing trouble. In my opinion, the leader of this extreme crowd is just one big 'bluff.' He has been bluffing for a long while now, but the employers have caßed his bluff, and I'll bet this will be the end of him.

“It’s a funny thing, but these extreme fellows don’t seem to be able to see ahead' of their noses. They’re always looking for trouble, and tho employers are now in a position to give 't to them. The 'bosses” have only to follow the example of the shipowners in Australia and they must win. I don’t say that the present system is perfect—far from it. 'l’he workers cannot, be said to bo getting what is their due, but It a change is to come it must be through the ballotbox. That is the constitutional and the only proper way to secure reforms. “Others think they can get what they are after by killing a few people. M ell, if they try it, they will find out their mistake, for the great majority of New Zealanders are too level-headed to st anil for that sort of thing. By being in the Labour movement, I am doing my best to bring about a changed order of things, but if they’re going in for a revolution by violence, well, then, they’re not going to get me in it. If we are going to have an upheaval, you’ll find that it will be the end of the extremist leaders. IN OTHER PORTS AUCKLAND MBN DEFUSE OVERTIME. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, February 18. The waterfront dispute reached a further stage to-day, When tho employers notified the men that unless they uere prepared to work overtime no further gangs would be engaged to work ships due shortly or ships winch had not already been manned. AH tne men approached declined to worn overtime toni"lit and consequent.y no new en„»se S were made. The positron now is that those men who are engaged m load in- vessels will continue until they have completed the work they were employed to carry on. This should occupy them until Monday or Tuesday, after which there will be no more work unless tho watersiders change their attitude. WORK AT NEW PLYMOUTH. New Plymouth, February 18. New Plvmouth watersiders, after declining to" work overtime on Wednesday and Thursday, have notified their readiness to work to-night. WORK PROCEEDS AT LYTTELTON Christchurch, February 18. The watersiders at Lyttelton responded to-night in all cases .where overtime was required of them. NO OVERTIME AT BLUFF. Invercargill, February 18. No overtime was worked at the Bluff last night. When labour for the Kokin whs Ccillecl for there was no response. The men engaged on the Tarawera declined to continue after 5 p.m. INSTRUCTIONS FROM WELLINGTON DUNEDIN WORKERS OBEY ORDERS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, February 18.

Yesterday morning word was received from Wellington by the local Waterside Workers’ Union that work was to cease on the Dunedin wharves at 5 o’clock that night, and that no overtime was to be carried out. Thus Dunedin was to fall into line with the other northern centres, and longshoremen here were to have their first experience of the pinpricking tactics adopted by the governing executive in Wellington to demonstrate their disapproval of the employers’ decision to grant only Id. per hour bonus io the men instead of 3d. The instructions from Wellington were faithfully observed, and work on tho Sealda, Corinna, Bohemia andi Calm stopped at 5 o’clock, despite the urgings of the employers that tho men should .work overtime. The men are amusingly emphatic in their assertions that the union has nothing to do with the decision to knock off work nt 5 o clock, and that the men are individually using their own right not to work overtime if they do not want: to. They cannot deny, however, that they received word from ■Wellington that they were not to work overtime last night. Neither can they explain away the surprising unanimity with which each man decided last night that it was inconvenient for him to work overtime. Those with inside knowledge, however, do not judge the action of the Dunedin men too harshly. The men have placed themselves under the authority of the chief executive in ‘Wellington, and they have to abide by the decisions of that executive. It would be no exaggeration to state that the great majority of the Dunedin waterside workers would have been only too pleased to work last, night. The executive in ‘Wellington, however, issued its ultimatum, and work had to stop. How the executive hopes to achieve its object by its pin-pricking tactics is not evident. It is apparent, however, that its present atttiude is going to have a stimulating effect on employers, and an effect which is likely to bo of a boomerang character from what can be gathered. The last straw has been piled on to the backs of the employers, and they' have now decided to hit back. It is stated on.-what may be taken as thoroughly reliable authority that the unloading of the boats at present in Dunedin will be completed, but that when tHe other'boats come in the union will have to give a guarantee that normal conditions of unloading, overtime, etc., will bo resumed. If tho guarantee is not given the boats will be tied up at the wharves until the guarantee is forthcoming. Naturally, shipowners in Dunedin have not decided to carry out this method of combating the pin-pricking of the workers without the authority of the. chief executive of the Shipowners’ Federation. It may safely be assumed, therefore, that the proposed action of the Dunedin employers is part of the campaign of the whole of the employers. Whether (he workers are prepared to carry on their irritating tactics now that the employers have got their backs to the wall remains' to be seen.

MR. GLOVER ASKED FOR A STATEMENT Auckland, February 18. 'l’ho president of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Federation, Air. L. Glover, when asked to make a statement in reply to that made by Mr. Bennett, manager of the Wellington Waterside Employment Association on Thursday, said he had no statement to make in regard to the dispute. The only thing he »ad to say was that he received a telegram from Mr. Bennett last Saturday, but seeing that Mr. Bennett had previously communicated with the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union with regard to the dispute he did not feel called upon to acknowledge Air. Bennett’s communication. He did not think the federation would take action until it was officially approached. IF THE SHIPS TIE DP SERIOUS EFFECT ON GENERAL COMMUNITY. Ae there seems to be every prospect of a hold-up of work on the waterfront as the result of the shipowners’ determination to end the irritation tactics which have been pursued during the past fortnight here, and in other New Zealand ports, it is of interest to inquire into how tha city of Wellington will feel the effect of a complete cessation, of mari-

time traffic. The first consideration—the life blood of the city’s industrial being —is coal, and all coal used in Wellington is sea-borne, so that exactly how long the industries and city services can hold out without further accretions to stocks depends on the quantity of coal now held. Without coal the trams cannot run, and the electric light service must fail. Inquiry was made yesterday as to what coal stocks were in hand. Mr. M. Cable, chief engineer, said that tho Corporation probably had enough coal to keep both the tramways and lighting services going for about a month.

What is equally as important is the gas supply, as so many people entirely depend on gas for cooking. The company has been kept on pretty short commons for a year past, but during the summer managed to pick up a little, and will Ire able to hold out for a week or two without any fresh supplies. From tho coal point of view the position, as far as the public is concerned, may be said to bo fairly satisfactory. As for those industries which depend on coal as steamraising fuel, no great stocks are 'held, and it would not be more than a week before the pinch, would l>e felt hero should all collier traffic cease. As soon as that happened factories would close, and men would be thrown out of work. Wellington is dependent on tho South Island for the staff of life. Inquiry elicited tho fact that only small stocks of flour were held here at the present time. Owing to tho shortage of old wheat some of the mills had been closed down for some weeks past. These were just about to resume with the .new season’s wheat. One of the mills at limaru which was closed reopened this week but so far was only working one . shift. For these reasons it had not been" possible for any firm to accumulate stocks, and if tho steamers were to tie up indefinitely there would bo a shortage of flour in a very short space of time.

Nelson fruit finds its best and nearest market, in Wellington, and the season is now in full swing. If the steamers are held up the fruitgrowers of Nelson will suffer very heavy losses. Such fruit as pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, and greengages must be shipped at a certain time, as it is all highly perishable. If the fruitgrowers were .not able to ship the soft fruit it would rot on the farms or wharves, and a lamentable loss would bo sustained. The North Island is independent at present as far as potatoes are concerned, and there is ample chaff available in Hawke's Bay and the Wairarapa. Most of our oats come from the south, and local stocks are short. ‘Wellington would probably be able to struggle along without the Nelson fruit (though it is always welcome), and in foodstuffs the only commodity from the South Island is flour. If the steamers tie up, other means will have to ho devised for carrying mails between the. two islands. Steamers may be especially permitted to do this work, or Government steamers may be employed. Failing steamers, an air service across the Strait is not altogether a dream impossible of realisation. CALL UPOfUTHE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES’ REASONABLE ATTITUDE (Contributed by the New Zealand Welfare League.) For some time we have known of the sail havoc brought about at ports by the constant irritation strikes and the" ultimate laying-up of ships. As an outcome there have been many thousands thrown out of work, whilst transport and industry have been severely dislocated. Now wo are faced with the same sort of thing in New Zealand. ■The position is that the Court of Arbitration, having decreed the payment of a cost-of-living 'bonus of 3s. per week, whilst ’thousands of skilled tradesmen, seamen, and others, have accepted that increase, the waterside workers have demanded mors, and at various ports have instituted "irritation strikes” io try and treure all they demand by force. The “irritation strikes’’ have taken tho form of: — (a) Refusal to transfer from one job to another in accordance with clause 15 of agreement. (b) Refusal to work meal hours, as provided by clause 13. (c) Refusal to work ati all on Saturday afternoons or after 5 p.m. on other days. The agreement specifies that “the federation and the respective unions undertake that no restrictions relating to overtime work shall be permitted to be made during the currency of this agreement.” The federation and unions sny that they have not ordered the "irritation strikes,” and only the-men individually are responsible. Tn tho past we have severely criticised tho shipping companies where we considered they wore in the wrong. Tn this instance thev prove themselves in tho right, and should have tho backing ot the general public. The employers are not seeking to reduo? wages, but have offered an increase. For the watersiders to decide that because they cannot get all they want! they will hamper the shipping industry; impede the employers’ business, and cause both loss and inconvenience to the general public, places them purely in the wrong. If the federations and unions are not able to control their members and the agreement with these bodies counts for nothing, they present the strongest possible reason for freedom of contract and the employers dealing with (he individual workers only. The employers are dealing, However, with the unions and federation, and have now given formal notice that unless regular work is resumed and satisfactory guarantees given, no further engagement of labour will be made That decision is drastic but absolutely necessary. The "irritation strikes” have forced the ultimatum that the industry must be properly worked or b? stopped until the malcontents come to reason. We are sorry that this involves ;i * number of watersiders who- want to work in a regular way, but cannot see the employers could do otherwise than thev have decided. There "irritation strikes” are direct attacks on the public. The men responsible arc saying in action: "To hell with a^reeniients; we care for nobody but ourselves ” The general body of tho. people should mark this, and take speedy steps to defend themselves. Th? smashing of industrv seriously affects everybody, and those who want to maintain stability, reason and common sense should join together against the force of anarchy now exhibited.