WATERSIDE TROUBLES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 127, 30 May 1914, Page 2

WATERSIDE TROUBLES

QUESTION OF PREFERENCE 400, MEN REGISTERED. Up till yesterday afternoon 400 men had registered their names wiUi Mr. E. H. Dodd, secretary of the Employers' Enquiry Committee, claiming preference of ■employment on the wharves on the ground that they had joined the new union, before 9th December last. The list will be definitely closed at 6 p.m. to-day, after which anyone who has failed to rogie-ter will not be considered. In replying yesterday to the statement made by Mr. W. Connell, acting-secre-tary of the union, in Tuesday's Pout, Mr. Dodd said ;•— " ln the first place tho employers quite understand tint the union should iiot have anything to do with the question of preference, but as tho employers pledged themselves to give preference to each individual man, who ib a competent worker who joined on or before 9th December, 1913, it must be seen that it is the duty of tho employers to see. that the. men in. question receive that preference, and it is also obvious that the men who have registered wish to claim that privilege. With regard to whether th« men are financial members of the union or not that is entirely a question for the officials of the union, ac co long as a man can produce tho necea«'ary evidence showing that he joined be^ •fore the dato mentioned, then his name must be added to tho preference list irrespective of whether he has paid his fees to the union or not. Mr. Connell fwther states that he has only had 80 applications for certificates (showing the date of joining his union, but ho must $urely know that inpst of the men have either a card or book of membership givihg the necessary information, and Only when such cannot be ■oToducea need, a man aak for a ■certificate from him. Mr. Dodd, I might add, does not represent 'certain employers,' but is the executive officer of a committee which represents' the whole of the ' employer* of waterside labour."