The Lumpers' Strike.

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 74, 24 September 1885, Page 2

The Lumpers' Strike.

The position of tho strike in Wellington has not ma'orially altered during the last twenty-four hours. The usual to tcightly meeting of the Lumper;. ' Union w«s held last nirfht, but only routine businoss was transacted. The following letter, giving the lumpers' views on the recant strike, is published in tho Otago Daily Times, and has beon handed to us by Mr. T. V. Kelly, Vioe-President of the Federated Lumpers' Society, with a request that we should republish it :— TO THE XDITOR. Sib— l foel compelled, muoh againßt my wish, to orave your indulgence by allowing me in your oolumns to contradict a report of tho above strike which appeared in your issue of thiß morning. I had no intention of troubling you again, but, in justice to our membsrs. I am bound to publish tho truth of tho affair. Yonr reporter Btates that he has made partion!ar inquiry into the matter. If bo, tho inquiry is all on ono sido; our version of the affair was never sought. He also says the Lumpers' Union has shown a disposition to increase their present rate of wages ; but tho only port whioh desired suoh increase was Dunedin, where wages were only Is per h<sur from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Is Cd from 5 p.m. till 9 p.m , and 2b per hour after 9 p.m. This increase was first asked for about two months ago, and Mr. Mills, of the Union Steam Ship Company, promised that on his return from a trip North he would favourably consider tho request. Aoting upon this promiss tho Dunedin lumpers petitioned Mr. Mills on his return to inoreate their wages to that paid by othir companies— viz., Is 3d per honr day work and 28 overtime. In reply Mr. Mills, acting in oonjunotion with the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company and the New Zealand Shipping Company, issued circular* to all our branches to the effeot that on the 18th instant they would reserve the right to employ Union or non-Union men indUoriminately, and that they would reduoe the rate* of pay to Is 3d per hour day work and 2s per hour overtime. They did not, m stated by your reporter, offer this rate for ail ports. On the oontrary, they wished us to aooept la per hour for day work. Is 6d per hour from 5 p.m. till 9 p.m., and 2s per hour after 9 p.m , whioh praotioally means Is 6d for overtime, as the oases are very rare when a boat works after 9 p.m. in Dunedin. And I most emphatically deny that any mention of a Bpeoifcl rate for coal work waa made in the oironlars reoeived by us annonnoing the reduotion. The Uniou Company have paid more for their labour in Lyttelton than the other companies, ard this at first bight may seem to bo a hudship to the company ; but when wo remember that the Union Company discharge and load most of their vessels with Bailors, aiiiated by as few lumpers aB they can help, the oaso appears in a different light. The lumpers at Lyttolton will not work with sailors on any ocean-going steamer or sailing vessel over 500 tons register, and as the Union Company, with thoir ÜBual generosity, always employ a full compliment of sailors, I confess I fail to boo whero the hardship cotnos in. You ako state that there was to bo an increase in Dunedin corresponding to the decrease in Port Chalmera. This o*n hardly be when Port Chalmers was to bo reduced 3d per hour on genoral cargo and 6d per hour on coal for day work, and Gd per hour on oargo and Is per hour on coal for overtime Lyttelton was to ba reduoed 3d per hour on oargo on all intercolonial steamers. Wellington was to be reduoed 9d per honr on coal for day work and Is per hour overtime, and 3d per hour day work and Gd per hour overtime on frozen meat ; and Dunedin, the laet of the four ports at present federated, was also to be reduoed, and not increased , as stated by your reporter, who must ovidently havo obtained his information from some representative of the Union Company, or ho would have known that tho othor companies were paying the Dunedin men Is 3d per hour day work, while the Union Company were only paying Is per hour. This, then, is the increase : the Dunedin men lose 3d per honr day work from all oompauics exoept the Union Company. If this is to Lo termed a slight reduotion all ever tho oolony, I would like to know what a largo ono would be. I imagino if this one were a little heavier the men would havo to work for nothing. They earn very littlo at the present rates, not averaging more than half time, and the oompanies wißh them to work for still less. On receipt of the circulars from the shipping companies the head offioo immediately in. struckd onr branohes to send delegates to Port Chalmers with tho view of striking ono uniform rate of wages for all olasaes of work in all federated ports. This has beon done, and the rate deoided on — vie, Is Gd per hour day work, and 2i per hour overtime ; we consider this to be a rate fixod upon an eqoiUble basis. The delegate! solicited an interview with the representatives of the various shipping oompanies and submitted their rates, whioh the oompanies assorted meant a large additional expenditure on labour, and they oould not see fit to oomply with the terms. We in tnrn are of opinion that our rate will moan a slight reduotion on tho rates at present paid, and holding that opinion, aro determined to abide the result. It is with muoh regret that we recognise the necessity of taking this step, but we think it is time that the working man should show powerful oompanies that he has a voice in the disposal of his labour— bis only oapital. Trusting yonr reporter will in fnture inquire into both aides of the question, and apologising for having oocupied so muoh of your valuable space, I am, &o , N William T. Barnes. Searotary N.Z. Federated Lumpen' Sooiety. Port Chalmers, 19th September, 1835.