THE PHOSPHATE CARGO

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 47, 24 August 1920, Page 8

THE PHOSPHATE CARGO

STATEMENT BY EMPLOYERS,

Speaking to a. Post reporter this afternoon, the manager of the Waterside Employment Association, Mr. W. H. Bennett, stated : "In connection with the trouble on the Japanese boat a call was made for labour for this vessel on Thursday morning last, when Mr. Bruce, the secretary of the union, actingl without authority, told the men that they would be paid 3s per hour for ordinary time, and 4s vper hour overtime. Gannaway and Company's foreman, whose duty it is to engage labour, and .who has nothing, to do with the rates, immediately called for labour, and engaged some three gangs to work the ship. "Later, when it was, discovered that the men had accepted employment under a misapprehension, a meeting of the local Disputes Committee, which consists of three representatives ,of each side, was called and the misapprehension fully gone into. It was agreed unanimously that the men be informed that as they had accepted engagement under the mistaken idea they were to get an increased rate they were now at liberty to terminate their engagement, either at once or at i the; end of the working day, and that fresh engagements would be made next morning for the work at agreement rates. . . ' ' "Next morning when the call was made no labour offered, the men demanding an increased rate. The Meikai Maru j is loaded with Japanese phosphates. This i cargo is specially mentioned in the j . agreement between the employers and j ■ the union entered into last March, and ' the rate is fixed therein. "Employers, in ' their endeavour to i have the agreement carried out, have taken the stand that this vessel must be worked before any other engagements are made. The only exceptions to this ' : are the vessels engaged, in the inter- " ' island ferry- service. j ' "The employers take up the attitude \ i that, providing the men accept engage- . ment and commence work, the Disputes , Committee will meet and discuss .any ; complaint that may be made about the • : condition of the [cargo on the Meikai Maru, which is at present turning out as , clean rs an ordinary wheat cargo. The ; phosphates in this instance have been . , shipped in double bags, of good texture, , thus conforming to tlie requests made by ', the Watersiders' Federation at the last conference with the employers." ■'. ;