SHIPWRIGHTS' MANIFESTO

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 146, 17 December 1913, Page 8

SHIPWRIGHTS' MANIFESTO

The shipwrights' branch of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union has adopted the following manifesto: —• "Tho shipwrights of Wellington' are (still on strike. They have been on strike now for nine weeks. They have not had an increase in wages for forty jyeans. Owing to the slackness in trade thirty-one years ago they agreed to a redaction in wages from 13s per day to 12e. They have been continually jeered at. by the employers. They had four abortive conferences. ' "Their travelling time to the Patent Slip was stopped -without notice being givert to the union. They had received travelling time for working at the slip ■«»er sine© it was built, gome forty years ■ago. Through the employers stopping sfcheir travelling time the men lost 9d per •day on their wages. The employers £>roJ<e that agreement as well as several •lotners which had beea in existence for wears. The employers said we would '■have to get an award. ' "The shipwright© cancelled their registration under the Arbitration Act; and joined' the Wellington Watersidets' Union as. a branch union. The employers would not recognise the Bhipwrighte ■as a branch of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union. The employers jwoukl not recognise the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union in their dispute with the shipwrights. The employers would not recognise the United Federation of Labour as a negotiating body. "The employers wanted to employ permanent shipwrights at a lower rate of wages than that paid to casuals. Tho shipwrights wanted one rate of wagee for all members in the union. The employers wanted do reduce our holidays from nine dayt* a year to five. The employers wanted thi' shipwrights to work ■ night shifts at ordinary tat© of pay. The employers wanted to tell us how to run our union; how much members should pay to join; who the members should be; anil what they should pay per week. "The shipwrights thought, and still think, the# shpuJkl rug their own affaire./-?