SEAMEN'S AWARD

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 106, 1 November 1923, Page 8

SEAMEN'S AWARD

ACTION FOR ALLEGED BREACH FAILS.

To-day, m the Magistrate's Court, before Mr. Orr-Ewing, S.M., the Federated Seamen's Union took action against the Canterbury S.S. Co., Ltd., for a breach of the Seamen's Award. Mr. T. Young appeared for the union and Mr. J. F: B. Stevenson for the shipping company. The award provides that any employer de-> siring to reduce the manning of any vessel'below the existing scale shall notify the union, and if it objects within fourteen days from such notification, then the reduction may be carried out only if the matter is referred to the Disputes Committee, and it sanctions such reduction. The union alleged that the company had reduced the manning of the steamer Storm by one A.B. without referring the question to the committee. The union, before any notice of reduction was served on it by the company, gave notice that it 'desired 1 the old manning to stand. The company subsequently; gave written notice of its intention to reduce, and, as the union did not give any further objection, then duly reduced without referring to the Disputes Committee. The company alleged it was within its rights under the award in so redlfcing, as the union did not give'the necessary objection within fourteen days. The Magistrate upheld this point and gave judgment for the defendant com--pany with £1 Is costs. -■* ■• ■