WATERFRONT LABOUR AT WELLINGTON

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 41, 12 November 1936, Page 13

WATERFRONT LABOUR AT WELLINGTON

Non-unionists Resume Work

APPROACH OF BUSY EXPORT PERIOD

After having refused work on the Wellington waterfront since the beginning of October, the 300-odd nonunionists, who frequent the waterfront

regularly in search of work, have now decided to respond to calls for labour, and this week have been working as usual.

The trouble arose at the beginning of October with the enforcing of stricter preference to unionists on the Wellington waterfront in conformity with the I.C. and A. Amendment Act. Until then when all available union labour had been engaged, the employers engaged non-union labour, and the men so engaged worked for the whole of that day. Under the new conditions they had to give way to any union labour that might become available during the day and wished to transfer to another job, subject to the proviso that no such replacement should take place until the non-unionist had completed three hours’ work. The non-unionists considered these conditions unfair, and decided that they would in the meantime refuse any work offering on the waterfront. They also organised in an endeavour to persuade the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union to admit them as members, and asked the officials of that union for a conference at which to discuss matters.

Meetings between union officials and delegates from the non-unionists have taken place, but nothing in the nature of an official conference has, it is understood, yet eventuated.

Though the present is about the slackest time of the year on the ’Wellington waterfront, yet there have, since the beginning of October, been quite a few days on which all union labour has been engaged and the absence of the nonunionists has led to a shortage of labour and the consequent hold-up of shipping at Wellington. During the busy export period which is now rapidly approaching the non-unionist labour is an essential factor on the waterfront for the speedy handling of cargo, and the absence of it would tend to make for congestion in the port.