SHIPPING TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 221, 15 June 1931, Page 10

SHIPPING TROUBLE

Effect of Wage-Cut POSSIBLE MOVES Two Vessels Held Up FERRY INVOLVED There are indications of trouble occurring on the waterfront thia week in connection with tlie appliescation of the 10 per cent, wage reduction. The handling of the cargo of two oversea vessels lias been held up through no labour offering, and it is thought that this may be the beginning of irritation tactics. Further developments may involve the ferry steamer Maori, on which some trouble with the stewards occurred at Lyttelton on Saturday. Officers and engineers are also concerned in the reduction of wages, and it is asserted on their behalf that they cannot accept the cut unless it applies to the whole ship. On Saturday the waterside worker* loading the Commonwealth and Dominion Line motor-ships Port Fairy and. Port Huon declined to work overtime, and in consequence both ships were idle after midday. The hold-up .of the Port Huon was not a very serious matter, as that ship is discharging, but in connection with the Port Fairy, which is loading for London, seven trucks of a shipment of frozen meat were left standing on the wharf. The meat which came from Feilding is in insulated vans and may take no harm from having to wait until to-day, but there is always the risk of the meat going “soft.” The C. and D. Line officials heard on Friday of the possibility of trouble, and on Saturday morning made a call earlier than usual for the men to work overtime in the afternoon. All the men engaged at tlie two ships refused the call, and as no other labour was available, the ships had to cease work at midday. The C. and D. Line ships were the only vessels affected. The shipping company can give no explanation of the trouble, which, however, is generally regarded as the start of irritation tactics consequent on the wage reduction. No reason was given by the. men for their refusal to work on Saturday afternoon, and no statement is forthcoming from the union officials. The matter has been referred to the disputes committee. The view is widely held on the waterfront that the position will develop this week, and that the men’s. refSsa I to work overtime will apply to other ships as well.

Cooks’ and Stewards’ Dispute. Meanwhile, an interesting situation is developing in connection with the application of the 10 per cent reduction of wages to the crews of ships. As announced on Saturday, the Union Company’s ships Waimarino t.nd Katoa are held up owing to the refusal of the cooks and stewards to sign fresn articles embodying the cut in wages. It is freely rumoured on the waterfront that interesting developments are likely to-morrow, and that there is & probability of the ferry steamer Maori being held up. It is stated that some trouble occurred at Lyttelton last week in connection with the stewards on the ferry steamers, and that it was patched up for the tune beil Officers and Engineers Interested. Other bodies interested in the 10 per cent, reduction of wages order ar® Merchant Service Guild and the Manne Engineers’ Institute, the former representing the masters and officers of New Zealand-owned ships. It is understood that their agreements with the have expired and that members of both bodies have been notified that the reduction is to operate this week. On Saturday morning a special meeting of the Marine Engineers’ Institute was held, the business being described as "important,” and all seafaring being instructed to attend. “forma tion as to what transpired at the meeting could be got from the officials yesterday. but it is understood that .the portion of members in regard to the 10 per cent, cut was discussed. Seamen and Firemen. The position regarding maritime ’workers differs from that of most other classes of workers, in that the federated Seamen's Union of New Zealand is not a party to an Arbitration Court award. The wages of seamen are fixed by a ual agreement between the union and the employers, in this case the New Shipowners ’Federation and the Union Steam Ship Company, act ” lg . no recourse has been made to the Arbi tration Court in recent years either for the determination of traces « n<J , con “ 1 tions or for the interpretation of the aS ln el the t- ordinary course of events no effort to vary the terms of the agreement would be made until the agreement's about to expire in July, IJf-, It is understood, however, tbat the nuestion of reviewing the P? SI the light of the Arbitration Court’s general order is at present under XiderltTon 1 It is known «ia meetings of representatives of the Union C . and other shipowners were held last week and. it is stated, that tires of the unions were consulted., un rte other hand a “Dothe Seamen’s Union stated to a, minion” representative that the a rt®e ment being a private one as.between th "hTbownera 'and the union with more d, to run, the question of the Arbitration Court’s order did not arise. , Inequitable Position. It is known that members of the Merchant Service Guild and the Manne En gineers’ Institute hold strong views on the matter. They are fully prepared to accept the 10 per cent cut, but they will consider it most unjust if the seamen and firemen are. not asked to take a similar reduction —in other words, the cut must apply to all departments of ?he sffips. the guild *nd tt® mstitute members are. cut and tne men and firemen carry on L nnder the present scale of wages, a fourth officer will be on the same footing m regard ta nay as a senman, and junior engineers will get less than a donkeyman. The position at present seems to be that the seamen and firemen are on their “private agreement” with the owners, and are letting the cooks and .fnwnrds take UP a stand against tne e S nfor" ment of the “cut” by holding up the ships. In one quarter yesterday it was stated that the owners would attempt to enforce tlie cut m seamen s and firemen’s wages when the next p-J . comes round this week, in which ca. thc men are expected to make to .assert their position. On the otner hand, if no cut. is made in respect of seamen and firemen there arc still the cooks and stewards to carry on the fight, while the Merchant Service Guild and the Marine Engineers’ Institute will doubtless have something to say on the ques-