STOPPAGE OF WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 146, 17 December 1943, Page 3

STOPPAGE OF WORK

WATERFRONT DISPUTE

UNION'S OVERTIME CLAIM

A dispute over the payment of overtime resulted in the stoppage of all work on the Wellington waterfront from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. yesterday. The dispute was a sequel to the reduction! of hours adopted by the waterside workers' union at the beginning of this month, when it was decided to stop work at 9 p.m. instead of 10 p.m., and involved a claim by the union for minimum pay of three hours for work done,after tea. Prior to December 1, if the waterside workers were employed after 6 p.m., they received four hours' minimum pay, no matter how long they actually worked. With the reduced hours in operation, they have been paid only for the actual work done, and the union is claiming pay until 9 p.m. if the men are employed at all after 6 p.m. A meeting' of employers was held today to discuss the position, but no statement was issued. The national committee of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Union will meet in Wellington shortly to investigate the dispute, said the secretary of the union, Mr. T. Hill, today, and he was hopeful of an early settlement being reached. Mr. J. Flood, president of the union, will arrive in Wellington tomorrow. When the men ceased work at 5 p.m. yesterday, non-union labour employed on the wharves also left, so that nothing was done until the night shift started at 11 p.m. Mr. Hill was of the opinion that work would proceed normally until the settlement of the dispute, and the union has suggested to the employers that a meeting be held between the two parties and the Waterfront Control Commission.