WORKERS ON SHIPS & WHARVES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 10, 12 January 1912, Page 3

WORKERS ON SHIPS & WHARVES

DUNEDIN OPINIONS. [BY. TELEGRAPH — BPBCIAI, TO THB POST.] &UNEDIN, This Day. Shipping representatives in Dunedin seem disposed to believe that the demands of workers on ships and wharves are unreasonable, and of such nature as to harass the employers. They point out that the trend of things is towards securing for New Zealand workers the same rates of pay and conditions ot labour as are obtained by their confreres in Australia, wheie the' industrial and commercial circumstances are vastly different. The general movement of the Domini ton waterside workers, towards- securing substantial increases is considered to be a surge of the industrial wave on the Australian' coast. One representative pointed out that the Dominion shipowners were being harassed on all sides for concessions. He said that officers, crews, and wharf workers were all demanding increases The harbour boards were increasing the dues, the public were clamouring for faster services, and the necessity for keeping in step with the rapid progress in shipbuilding entailed enormous) expenditure on new steamers. The secession of the unions from the Arbitration Court, is interpreted as an ominous sign of "the times. The general opinion is that if all the demands of the various workers are conceded the public will have to be called upon to share the additional burden of the shipowners.