WATERSIDE LABOUR

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 173, 10 April 1923, Page 5

WATERSIDE LABOUR

ENGAGEMENT OF EXTRA MEN

HARBOUR BOARD’S POSITION

A deputation from tho "Waterside Workers Union- is to wait upen a committee of the Harbour Board to-day in reference to the engagement of waterside labour. At present the board employs its own men, apart from those in the service of the shipping companies whose method has already been explained in these columns. Briefly put, it is tho engagement of men from lists supplied by the various companies, tho men being interchangeable whenever there is surplusage in one list and a shortage on another. Should nil the lists bo depleted, then men from the 200 members of the union not or. the lists are utilised.

The Harbour Board has a list of its own men, and if more are wanted the additional labour is engaged from the open market or what has been called “tho fringe.” T.ho union desires that the extra men should be taken from tho lists at tho shipping companies’ offices, or from, the members of tho union awaiting listing. Another point to he laid before the board authorities is the representation of the union on t,ho committee in charge of waterside work. Tho shipping- companies allow three members of tho waterside union on their committee. Though the union is not asking for such a large representation, m the case of the board, it desires some voice in the met,hod of selection. Air. L Glover, president of the Waterside Union, in discussing the matter yesterday, said that it was the desire of everyone connected with the waterfront to have tho work carried out expeditiously and tu sec a fair division of what was go. ing. The new system had been designed to that end. and tho compliance of t,lie Harbour Board with the requests to be made, would, he felt sure, tend considerably toward such a result.