AUCKLAND HOLD-UP

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 122, 18 February 1944, Page 6

AUCKLAND HOLD-UP

Cool Store Workers’ Pledge

To Watersiders (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) • AUCKLAND, February 17. After a deadlock lasting a week, vitally important ships remained idle today and the waterfront delay has become the worst during the war. The waterfront commission has refused to accept the terms of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union : for returning to work and no labour is being engaged. A few men were working on the ships which were manned before the dispute arose, and American servicemen continued to worn their own ships. . “Thh commission is not prepared to accept what was tantamount to an ultimatum,” said the waterfront controller, Captain Stanich. After a union deputation had waited on him on Wednesday he had consulted Wellington. The deputation had stated that the men were prepared to work all ships except the one originally involved in the dispute and that , they wo'uld work that ship too it the gangway was altered. The commission is maintaining its attitude of refusing to employ labour for the other snips till the men agree to man the ship originally involved in the dispute. A development in the dispute was the tightening of the observance of the provisions governing wharf passes for waterside workers. In a letter to the secretary of the union Captain Stanich said, failing the resumption of work by 1 o’clock this afternoon, the union membership ticket would no longer be accepted by the police as a pass to the wharves. An exception was made in the case of the men who were working on ehips. A hundred men employed to discharge butter cargoes on small vessels were dismissed .when the job was completed and other cargo was not handled. The president of the union, Mr. H. Barnes, said Captain Stanich’s letter had been discussed at a union meeting this morning and a resolution reaffirming the desire of members that all ships should be worked was carried. “The next step must be taken by the commission,” said Mr. Barnes. Union members would report for work at 8 o’clock tomorrow morning ready to work all ships in port. They maintained their original attitude, however, in respect to the ship over which the trouble started. Before the men went up the gangway of that ship it must be rigged in accordance with the provisions of the general harbour regulations. Cool Store Workers. A lunch-hour meeting of cool store workers employed by the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company on King’s Wharf was addressed by delegates from the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union. The following resolution was carried by the meeting: “This meeting passes a motion ,of severe censure against • the waterfront controller for his unreasonable and unjustified action iu forbidding work on all ships instead of confining the dispute to one ship, thereby obstructing the war effort in the freezing industry, Army depots, carrying agencies, and all other works supplying the nation’s needs. We pledge full support for the Auckland waterside workers.” Work at the cool'stores has been, delayed by the wharf deadlock as butter is being held for the refrigerated ships which are not being worked. Incoming butter from small coastal vessels has added-to the stocks. Cement Shortage. J

Several Auckland cement works engaged largely on essential work were forced to close down today through a shortage of supplies as a direct result of the dead lock on the waterfront. Unless supplier are made available all these factories will be closed at the end of the week. Several hundreds of men will be out ot a job, and it will mean the virtual ces sation of all building involving the use of cement. The shortage of cement supplies has been caused by delay in the unloading of two coastal vessels, the Herekino and Ranganui, which are at present iu port. The former is loaded with 350 tons and the latter has 40 tons.

Urgent representations were made today by the secretary of the Auckland Manufacturers’ Association, Mr. Chorlton, to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Labour, and the Commissioner of Works in Wellington. It was' pointed out that the cement was required immediately for urgent defence and other essential purposes, and that supplies virtually were exhausted. Some firms had closed down and others were operating at half-speed or had closed part of .their works to conserve their small remaining stocks.