BARQUE ALICE A. LEIGH

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 230, 23 June 1921, Page 7

BARQUE ALICE A. LEIGH

WATEfiSIDERS BEGIN WORK CONDITIONS OF SETTLEMENT As a result of the sitting of the National Disputes Committee on Tuesday the trouble that arose over the /use of skips in the discharge of the coal cargo from the barque Alice A, Leigh has been settled. The watersiders’ contention has been that skips are dangerous. The owners of the vessel, on the other hand, have denied this, and have pointed out that skips are commonly used at the port of Auckland. Mr. L. Glover (president of the New •Zealand Waterside Workers' .Federation) informed a Dominion reporter that the National Disputes Committee on Tuesday agreed that the following proposals should be submitted to a meeting of the coal section of the Wellington watereiders next day:— That the work on the Alice A. Leigh should be regarded as a test or experimental job for the port of Wellington only. That the watersiders should “break down to the skin” with grabs or baskets, and allow the use of skips, on the undermentioned conditions, after the square was out: — . That there should be nine men to a gang below/ two men #>n the tip. and two men on the wharf. That it should bo clearly understood that, this arrangement in the present case was not to prejudice either side in its interpretation of tho -national agreement, in regard, to the question whether skips or scoops might bo used at other ports than Auckland. Tho proposals were discussed at some length by the meeting of the coal section yesterday, and were adopted by a good majority. Tho watersiders commenced work on the barque at 1 p.m.