NOT ACCEPTED

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 122, 20 November 1922, Page 8

NOT ACCEPTED

SEAMEN SEEKING WORK

GUARANTEE INSISTED UPON

FOR OBSERVANCE OF AWARD,

The trouble with the seamen throughout the Dominion underwent a new phase this morning, when seamen at Wellington and other ports offered themselves for engagement in large numbers, but their offcers to resume, work were refused by the shipowners. Before the unionists will be permitted to man the ships again, it will be necessary for the executive of the Federated Seamen's Union to give some sort of guarantee that the award of the Arbitration Court will be accepted in its entirety and observed without any obstruction during the remainder of its currency.

This new development was not altogether unexpected, especially as it was reported over a week ago that the seamen had embarked upoii an ( "irritation strike," in that they were going to oSer themselves for engagement to-day, work for a week, and then cease -work again. This morning a meeting of the Shipowners' Federation was held in Wellington; and afterwards the secretary, Mr. T. 0. Bishop, issued the following statement:— ;

"Before the shipping strike became general the executive of the Seamen's Union had an-interview with representatives of the shipowners, and suggested that the shipowners should agree, with the object of averting a general stoppage, to re-execute the 1920 agreement in lieu of the Abritratibn Court's award. "The suggestion was not accepted, and the union was informed that the award must be given effect' to.

"This'meeting was held on Tuesday, the 7th inst., arid on Friday, the 10th, following a stop-work meeting of seamen, the crews of all vessels in Wellington gave notice, and similar action was taken at other ports. Since then no communication has been received from the Seamen's Union either by the Shipowners' Federation or by any individual shipping company. "Many union men have offered themselves for engagement under the terms of the award this morning, both in WelJingtpn and at other ports, but the shipowners are not prepared to engage any\ union men until such time as the executive of the union approaches the owners and offers some satisfactory guarantee that during the currency of the award there will be no further stoppage of work, and that any dispute that may arise shall be dealt with in the manner provided for in the award."