TO RESUME WORK TODAY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 123, 19 February 1944, Page 8

TO RESUME WORK TODAY

Wellington Watersiders HOLD-UP OF SHIPPING ENDED

Normal work will be resumed on the Wellington waterfront this morning. The members of the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union held a meeting yesterday morning which lasted for five hours, and following this union officials informed the Waterfront Control Commission that the men were nrenared to resume woik. The Commission had made all necessary arrangements tor labour to work the most urgent cargo yesterday , afte - noon, but in View of the the union to resume woik todaj, these arrangements were not put into force, and the wharves were idle throughout th Ca C otain R. E. Price, Commissioner of Waterfront Control, said that Personally sincerely thanked all those men who had been ready all £ to work urgent cargo, so that their country’s war effort should not suite any further, though their services had not actually been required, due to the. roll “member National Disputes Committee, Mr. E. A. Napier, secretary mF thp Wellington union, Air. a. ueu away, prXident of the Wellington union, and Mr T. Hill, national secretary. The policy of the national union in regard to the ’dispute was outlined by the four speakers and the ultimate effie-t if there were a complete stoppage was CXE The <!d men are returning to work re-co-nizing that inasmuch that they., have a 'just‘ grievance in the present dispute the interests of the country and the Unit; cd Nations are above their own said Mr. Hill in a subsequent statement. “Recognizing the lar S e f number of members who are overseas, further that mem hers have sons overseas and the tact that approximately 60 per cent, ofit waterside union are returned soldiers and merchant seamen of the last war, the men have decided that these interests are more important than the present disPU “The public will recollect that when there was a danger of attack from the Japanese, statements were made by the Government and employers that the effort made by workers in industry would be well rewarded by a new social order. As a responsible official of the Waterpiders’ Union I feel that the favourable turn in the war has hardened the employers’ attitude in any dispute, that arises. 1 have noticed in negotiations with the employers that too much emphasis is placed on local trivialities .instead of international events. The decision ot the men to return to work is an indication that our attitude to the war is the same as when danger was threatening our shores. The dispute will be referred to the National Disputes Committee for settlement.”

CONDITIONS ACCEPTED

Minister’s Statement

Conditions under which the Wellington watersiders will resume work were announced last night by the Minister o* Labour, Mr. Webb. . “Arising out of representations made to the Government on behalf of the Wellington waterside workers by the president of the Wellington Trades Council. Mr. F. P. Walsh, it was agreed that the watersiders could resume work on the understanding that the matter in dispute would be referred to the disputes committee,” said Mr. Webb. “It was also agreed that in the event of the disputes committee finding in favour of the union, the three men concerning whom the dispute arose would be paid for the time they would normally have been employed on the ship. . “The Government laid it down as a condition of the men resuming work—and I am pleased the men have accepted this condition —that all future disputes shall be referred by both parties to the local and national disputes committees, and, failing an agreement, to the Waterfront Commission.”

WORK RESUMED AT AUCKLAND ause Of Dispute Remove (By Telegraph.—Press Association ) AUCKLAND, February 18. Work was resumed on the Aucklai iterfront today following a hold-up f er a week.

Cause Of Dispute Removed

(By Telegraph.—Press Association ) AUCKLAND, February 18. Work was resumed on the Auckland waterfront today following a hold-up for over a week.

The ship over which the dispute arose was moved to another berth last night and this morning the gangway . was erected at right angles to the ship in full compliance with the harbour regulations: Tha 100 men whose services were dispensed with for refusing to go up the gangway last Thursday week because they objected to the rigging of the gangway were put on work, and every member of the union was working today, as well as some “seagulls.” A short meeting of the union was held prior to the starting of work and a resolution was carried that the national executive of the Waterside Workers’ Union be directed 'to press for a reconstitution of the personnel of the Waterfront Commission. Mr. Barnes, president of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union and new national president, said the view was expressed at the meeting that the Government must take steps to prevent members of the commission from grossly and •wilfully misusing their powers. He said the hold-up had interfered with the war effort. He considered that the commission should be constituted similar to the waterfrout commission, in Australia, where the waterside unions had direct representation on the waterfront control bodies. Mr. F. Craig, president of the Auck land Trades Council of the Federation of Labour, said the position was discussed last night by the council, which gave the watersiders its full support. It was regrettable that a dispute of such magnitude should be allowed to develop over so small a.matter as the question of the safety of a gangway, said Mr. Craig.

STATEMENT BY CAPTAIN PRICE

Captain R. E. Price, Commissioner of Waterfront Control, made the following statement on the Auckland dispute yesterday :—

“The harbourmaster at Auckland found it necessary to move the ship on which the gangway dispute arose to another berth to make way for an urgent ship for which arrangements to work had been made. The change of berth automatically caused an alteration in the position of the gangway, thereby removing the cause of the dispute. The sevenday penalty placed on the men who refused to board the ship having also expired, they became eligible for re-engage-ment, and as they had signified their willingness to resume the men’s employment discs were exhibited and they accepted all work offering.”