FEDERATED SEAMEN'S UNION

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 89, 13 October 1915, Page 11

FEDERATED SEAMEN'S UNION

MANNING THE VESSELS DISCUSSION WITH UNION COMPANY MANAGEMENT. 11T TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) DUNEDIN, 12th October. Messrs. Young (Wellington), Jack (Auckland), and Belcher (Dunedin), representatives of the Federated Seamen's Union, are discussing certain matters with the management of the Union Company in regard epecially to the manning of some of their vessels. The main idea of the discussion is to endeavour to more equitably regulate the number of men employed in the engine-room and stokehold departments. Mr. Young informed a reporter that there was also the matter of a number of vessels engaged in coastal, intercolonial, Australian, Canadian, and American trades, which are operating on articles of agreement taken out in Australia with a foreign set of working conditions applied to the crew which cannot be enforced in the Dominion. There is also the question of the discharge of seamen at the ports abroad, and they found this was largely the cause of the shortage of seamen in New Zealand. It was desired by the union that these matters be regulated so that ships operating on the trades named should 4 do so on articles taken out in the Dominion, and the crew working under the terms of the industrial agreement that the steamship owners of New Zealand have entered into with the union. Representations were also made that the preference clause of the agreement be more strictly carried out. Mr. Young said the Mararoa case was also discussed, and stated that the vessel was held up for special conditions to meet the special case created by the owners. With reference to the accommodation of the firemen, trimmei's, and greasers on the Maori, representations were made for alteration. A suggestion was made to the company that the living quarters be transferred •to the main deck. Representatives of the union also referred to the lack of washing and bathing accommodation on the Kamona and I Kaituna, and urged that a bathroom for the^ use of the men be constructed in each vessel. Mr. Young said he was unable to »ay yet what the results of the deliberations were, but they did not mean any alterations in the terms and conditions respecting -work on board ahip. DRUNKEN FIREMEN. DUNEDIN, 12th -October. By direction of the head office of the executive of the Federated Seamen's i Union, the secretary, Mr. Young, states i ; lia^ . eai " II J r this month it was reported {° ™ that six firemen on a steamer had been drunk and incapable of doing [any work for one day, and the next day five were still in the same condition, and one was invalided ashore through sickness. As the result of this the vessel was delayed nearly a day. The executive of the union unanimousiy resolved to fine each man £5, and if the money is not paid within 14 days after the return of the vessel to a New Zealand port the men are to be expelled from the union. New rules have been registered under the Arbitration Act to protect the members of the union against the misdeeds of a small percentage of members.