WATERSIDE DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 47, 18 November 1932, Page 13

WATERSIDE DISPUTE

Reply Expected on Monday DECISION OF FEDERATION Representatives of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Federation and the shipowners met yesterday afternoon to discuss future terms of employment It had been expected that the reply of the workers to the employers’ proposals would be made known, hut tb< niibltc;’ tion of a statement revealing the position has again been postponed. At the close of the meeting the following official statement was issued: — “Negotiations are proceeding satisfactorily, and it is expected that . the employers and the Federation will be in a position to make -a joint announcement as to the result on Monday.”

The proposals, on which ballots have been taken among waterside workers throughout New Zealand, are the result of negotiations that have followed the waterside-hold-up in August. Since then the men have .been working under the conditions of the old award, but at the new rates of pay, “under protest.” The new proposals provide for payment at the rate of 2/- per hour, rates which will be retrospective, it is understood, to August 18. Under the 1929 award the rates of pay were 2/4 less 10 per cent.; this sum was reduced to 1/11 in the original proposals, and was the amount accepted “under protest.” The rate of 2/- an hour is for all classes of work at all ports for ordinary time. In the new proposals there are set out in detail rates of pay for special cargoes and some minor alterations in clauses dealing with time, holidays, and other matters.