WHARF WORK

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 27, 31 January 1917, Page 3

WHARF WORK

CONFERENCE DEADLOCK

STATEMENT BY EMPLOYERS

MEN'S CLAIMS AND WAGES.

The following official statement has been issued on behalf of the employers of waterside workers :—

As already intimated through, the pre6s, the conference between the representatives of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Federation and the employers of waterside labour throughout the Dominion proved abortive, as the employers, after the fullest deliberation, arrived at the definite conclusion that as the claims for increased wages and improved working conditions : made by the federation were of such an extravagant character that, having regard to the effect upon all other industries, the responsibility of making them concessions was too onerous for them to accept, and they therefore adopted the constitutional course of suggesting reference to the Arbitration Court. The proposal, however, was rejected by the representatives of the watersiders. The decision of the employers was conveyed to tha ■federation representatives in the following terms : — REFERENCE TO ARBITRATION The rejection by the waterside delegates of the suggestion made by the employers' representatives that the matter in dispute between us should be referred to the Arbitration Court, has been very carefully considered by us since the adjournment of the conference yesterday. The objections made by various speakers on behalf of the watersiders to this course do not commend themselves to \is, as so long as it is legally in existence there can be no question that 'the Court is the proper tribunal to adjudicate on the wide difference which exists between the respective parties as to the justice or otherwise of the claims made on behalf of the wa.tersiders. In this connection, also, I may with every propriety refer to' the fact that it was the Arbitration Court which gave the unions preference of employment, a decision which materially assisted the latter to consolidate themselves into the federation of 5000 members which exists to-day, and also to remind you that the watersiders of Australia are voluntarily appealing at the present time to the Commonwealth Arbitration Court. . The empha.tiC: manner, however, in which the . suggestion to place, the position before the Court was turned down by your side has given employers food for serious thought, as from the nature of the utterances of waterside representatives yesterday, it became amply evident to us that in the event of the deadlock continuing, both sides were assuming a tremendous responsibility to the whole of the Dominion. This aspect of the matter has .been fully discussed by emploj'ers, but without a single dissentient it was resolved that the course suggested at the conference yesterday must be followed, and whatever the results - may be, the dispute must be referred to the Court, and immediate steps- in this direction will bel taken. I have only now, therefore, to formally intimate to you that the following is the unanimous decision of the employers of waterside labour throughout the Dominion:— ■■

DECISION OF EMPLOYERS (1) That the representatives of the employers'of'waterside workers through-/ out the Dominion and now assembled in Wellington have given the fullest'"and' most serious consideration to the representations made by the delegates from.; the New Zealand Waterside Federation. _ (2) That, having regard to representations made by other classes of employers as to Hie. serious effect any increase in j wages to waterside -.workers would have upon other trades and industries; , (3) That in view of the comparatively high' wages now being earned by waterside workers; ■ , (4) That as the adoption of working conditions of the nature asked would so hamper shipping operations as to'seriously interfere with the shipping trade of the Dominion; The Employers' Conference has reluctantly ■ arrived at the decision that it cannot take . the responsibility of increasing wages or altering present working conditions unless so directed by the i Conciliation Council or the Arbitration ( Court. ■'.■..'•'■.

In view of tlio above decision and of the definite refusal of.the New Zealand Waterside Federation to have the matter dealt with under the Industrial Concilia-tion-and Arbitration Act, and as'that is the only means provided by law for dealing with such a situation as has arisen, the Employers' Conference has decided to take immediate steps to cite the Now Zealand. Waterside Federation,_in acqordance with the provisions of that Act, and that, if the federation so desires, employers -will agree to expert a-ssessprs being appointed as provided by section 112 of the Act. ' : WATERSIDERS' CLAIMS An examination of the claims made by |-ho. Water'siders 1 Federation gives the following typical examples of comparison between (1) the rates of pay ruling prior to the /war, (2). the increased pay granted by Piipioyers in February, 19i6, owing to ! i abnormal conditions' created' by the 'r, and (3) the new demands now marl- non employers of waterside labour by Uie federation :—

ORDINARY OVERTIME SPECIAL HOURS. WORK. OVERTIME. '! ' £ 8 |^ ' 8 - k ■ ' I ' V •-■■■■- . . g '3 v a- a ■ ■ m o a ■ ■ ? 3 o - « So ,«SO SO)' > V P O . '.-.-. ■'' a 5 -| ' i a % ® " S ■a " P< . m l 2 Him 1^ CMm GENERAL CARGO (per hour). Auckland, Wellinfftcn, Lyttelton, Dunedin 1/5 1/8 2/2 ... 2/2 2/6 3/- ... 2/3 2/9 4/4 Minor ports 1/8 1/11 2/2 ... 2/2 2/6 3/- ... 2/3 2/9 4/4 ! FROZEN CARGO (per hour). '■ ' Auckland 2/3 2/4*. 2/6 ... 3/3. 3/5 . 8/7 ... 3/3 3/6 5/Wellington, Dunedin, Lyt- , telton 1/9 2/- 2/6 ... 2/9 3/1 3/7: ... 2/11 3/5 5/- ---' SHOVELLING COAL (per hour). Auckland, Dunedin 1/8 1/11 2/5 ....2/2 2/6 3/3 ... 2/3 2/9 4/7 Wellington, Lyttelton 1/6 1/9 2/5 ... 2/3 2/7 3/3 ... 2/4 2/10 4/7 Westport, Greymouth .'2/2 2/S' 2/5 ... 2/2 2/5 3/3 ... 2/2 2/5 4/7 CARRYING COAL IN BASKETS (per hour). Auckland 2/2 2/5 3/- ... 2/3 3/- 4/- ... 2/9 3/3 6/-Welling-ton 2/- 2/3 3/- ... 3/- 3/4 4/- ... 3/- 3/6 6/Lyttelton 1/8 1/11 3/-,... 2/5 2/9 4/- ... 2/6 3/- 6/SPECIAL CARGO, CEMENT, SUPERPHOSPHATES, Etc. (per'hour); Wellington 1/5 1/10 2/5 ... 2/2 2/8 3/2.,. 2/3 2/11 4/10 Auckland 1/6 1/11 2/5 ... 2/2 2/9 3/2 ... 2/3 3/1 4/10 New Plymouth 1/9 1/11 2/5 ..: 2/2 3/- 3/2 ... 2/3 3/2 4/10 BENZINE, Etc., with all Other Cargo in Ship. .Wellington ...'. '. 1/5 2/-' 3/- ... 2/2 2/10 5/----(Only worked during daylight.) . EXPLOSIVES, with all Other Cargo in Ship. Wellington 1/5 1/10 4/2. ... 2/2 2/8 6/----(Only worked during daylight.)

such a revolutionary character that if brought into operation the effect upon the work of the ships would be nothing short of disastrous, as all or nearly all are calculated to so "slow down" the work as to entail most serious delays, which would reflect upon all industries allied to shipping, and consequently upon the Dominion as a whole. Following are a few typical examples of the character of the "improved" conditions sought by the federation :— " Not more than two gangs shall be employed in any one hatch." At present often three gangs and sometimes four gangs are employed. The effect of the proposal to limit the lift in any one hoist may be seen by comparing the following :— Federation proposes 25 carcases mutton, usual quantity 35 carcases. Federation proposes 35 carcases lambs, usual quantity GO carcases. Federation proposes 30 bores butter, usual quantity 45 boxes. Federation proposes 10 crates cheese, usual quantity 24 crates. Federation pro-poses 12 quarters beef, Usual quantity 18 to 20 quarters. The proposals to • reduce the weight of casks of tallow from Bcwfc to 7cwt, and pslts from 9cwt to 7c\vt, and dumps of wool and flax from Bcwt to 6i : cwt (ire absolutely unnecessary, and w;'ll prove irksome and inconvenient to strippers and farmers. Freezer gangs to consist of fourteen to one whip. This is four more men than are required or used generally now.

Tin-lined Receptacles.—The claim that lime, cement;, elag, guano, superphosphates, etc., should be packed in tinlined receptacles is a serious matter to farmers. In the first place, tin is practically unobtainable at 'the present time, and in any case the cost would be so great as to practically prohibit the use of these commodities. .The result of the demands for working conditions, if acceded to, would be to reduce the output by one-third to one-half, and would require approximately 25 per cent, more men to do the work. EARNINGS OF WORKERS Returns of average wages earned since increase granted in February, 1916, are at present available only for the ports of Wellington, Napier, and Lyttelton, but they are sufficient to give some idea of the money earned by waterside workers, and are as under :— WELLINGTON.

Shipowners : For all workers . (average number employed 1100), average earned £3 10s 9d per week. For those men who have been available for work three-quar-ters of the time covered by the period, and who may be taken as those who depend upon waterside work as their means of livelihood—739 men. Average earned, £3 15s lid per week. , Average hours worked, 37.3 per week. In other words, the men who depend on the waterside for the means of subsistence in Wellington earn an average of £3 15s lid for a. little over 4^ days' work per week. Analysis of earnings of 739 men mentioned above :— .

2 men earned an average of. over £6 per week. 8 men earned. an average of between £5 10s to £6. 42 men earned an average of between £5 to £5 10s. , ■■■ .■•■•; 93 men earned, an average of between £4 10s to £5. - 141 men earned an average of between . £4 to £4 10s. 168 men earned an average of between £3 10s. to £4/ 182 men earned an average of between £3 to £3 10s. iij-i:.:»•,,5. -i :i : '• v 80 men earned an average of between £2 10s to £3. 23 men earned an average of under £2 10s.\ Harbour Board': Average niimber of• | men employed, 464; average earnings of a]] • men employed, £3 2s 6d per week ; of these -233 men are on a special register for preference of employment, and the average earning for half-year, August, 1915, to February, 1916, is (prior to last increase), £3 7s lid ; -half-year, February,, 1916, to August, 1916 , (since last increase), £3 17s 10d per week. , The following is a further analysis of the earnings of the above 233 men: — 8 men averaged over £s'per week. 17 men 'averaged from £4 10s to £5 per ■' week -| 80 men averaged from £4 to £4 10s per week , . .84 men averaged from £3 10s to £4 per week 36 men averaged from £3 to £3 10s per . week 10 men averaged under £3 Of the 10 men who averaged less than £3 per week, the position is that each of them lost time either through their own default or by reason of accident or "sickness, otherwise each of them would have earned over £3 per week, and to that extent the average earnings of all men would have been increased. . . ' . NAPIER. Returns received from this port show that on the' average 65 men were employed during the period..' ; The first 20 men earned an average of £3 19s 7d per week. The first 50 men earned an average of £3 9s 6d per week. The 65 men earned an average of £3 5s 6d. "• ■ . LYTTELTON. Average number of men employed, 437; average hours worked per week by all men employed, 31; average wage earned per week—all men employed, £3 3s 6d; 261 men averaged £3 per week and over; average hours worked, 36 ;

ALTERATIONS OF REVOLUTIONARY CHARACTER So far as the new working conditions which the federation seeks to impose upon employers are concerned, the latter State emphatically that these are of

average wage earned £3 15s lid per week. The above returns show that men who really follow waterside work as an occupation are in receipt of higher averageearnings than the great majority of skilled workers. .