THE STEWARDS' STRIKE

Evening Star, Issue 17542, 23 December 1920, Page 2

THE STEWARDS' STRIKE

STlili STiiICTLT LOCALISED TRANSPORT FEDERATION ALOOF. FERRY SERVICE MAINTAINED. "We are going to'run the ships,” stated Mr Young (secretary of the Seamen’s Union), when asked at Wellington what attitude the members of his union proposed to adopt towards the cooks and stewards dispute with the employers. Mr Young remarked that the cooks and stewards were not affiliated with the Transport Workers’ Federation, and the Seamen’s Union, which was affiliated nan no intention of involving the federation man extraneous dispute. The sea- ■ men and firemen on the Maori, Wahine, and other coastal vessels had received written ; instructions from the union to hdd themselves aloof until otherwise instructed by the union. THE DEMANDS AND GRIEVANCES, it. C^a j in the stewards is for tho,£2 a month bonus; the second is for an eight-hour day, thus bringing the New Zealand stewards’ demands into line with those of the Australians who are now holding up the shipping there. A prominent member of the Cooks and Stewards Union stated at Christchurch yesterday tiiat the men were particularly incensed at what had appeared in the newspapers regarding tips. He said a few of the men did fairly well out of tips, but the majority received little or nothing, and had to exist on their bare wages. Another grievance was tho fact that it had been announced that the vessels could sail without stewards. “Wo are going to give them the chance and see if they can do without ns,” ho announced. “ The papers talk about the harvest of tips at this time of the year. As a matter of fact, we make less out of Christmas holiday passengers than we do at ordinary times. They are mostly women and children and cheap trippers. Race times are oui* best times. ”

It was stated by another steward that the men had handed in their notices on principle, because it had been stated, both in the Press and publicly, that the vessel would not be able to sail without stewards It was also pointed out that, while some or the men mad© a living, others did not fare so well, particularly in the steerage, and the wages were too low to maintain their families. The time had now arrived when an effort should be made to improve their conditions. Their work was strenuous, witn long hours, and the accommodation supplied was not what it should be. tf they had any decent clothes they had nowhere to keep them. The £2 per month bonus which had been applied for .is calculated on the Arbitration Court s 9s bonus, so that with the recent reduction the legal claim can only bo los 4d; but apart from this, the Union Company points out that stewards are fed and lodged on the ships, so that, except in the case of a few married men the cost of living cannot press so heavily upon them.

AND PRESENT WAGES. The Maori carries nineteen saloon stewards, nine second class stewards, three stewardesses, three cooks, and two pantrymaids. The Wahine carries twenty saloon stewards, thirteen second class stewards two cadets, two forecabin stewards, three stewardesses, three cooks, two pantrymen and two scullerymen. ’ The present scale of wages is £l3los per month for first class stewards, £l3 for second class, £lO for stewardesses, £lB 5s for chief cooks, £l4 5s for first assistant cook, and £ll 5s for third cook. THE MAORI SAILS. STEWARDS GO AS PASSENGERS. The Maori left Lyttelton last night as usual at 8.35. An unusually large crowd gathered at the wharf to see her off. Several of the stewards who have left the Maori, and who have homes in Wellington, bought tickets and went north as passengers. Although it was said that there are thirteen stewards still on the steamer, none were visible about the decks, and the passengers had to, carry their own luggage aboard. About 700 passengers embarked. NEARLY A HITCH. TROUBLE STARTSTND EVAPORATES [Special to the ‘ Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH, December 23. Just before the Maori sailed last night some of the stokehold crew intimated their intention of going ashore, alleging there was no cook on board. A hasty conference was held between Captain Irwin, Mr Cunningham (the Union Company’s Lyttelton manager), and a delegate representing the men. The cook was produced, and the men, being apparently satisfied, returned to the stokehold. The passengers and the watching crowd, especially the former, were much relieved when a few minutes later the Maori cast off and departed without further incident. EIGHT-HOUR DEMAND A SURPRISE. Respecting the Press Association telegram frm Wellington setting out the demands of the stewards on the Wahine, Mr D. A. Aiken (general manager of the Union Company) states that the demand for an eight-hour day comes in the nature of a surprise. It was the first ,he had heard of it. At present, he =says, the cooks and stewards are working under an award which has a considerable period to run, and this provides for a ten-hour day. No application has been received by the Union Company for a reduction of the hours to eight. WAHINE SAILS! NO NOTICE GIVEN. It was persistently rumored in Wellington yesterday that half a dozen of the stewards on the Wahine were giving notice; hut a few minutes before the vessel sailed from Wellington last night Mr Kennedy (Wellington manager for the Union Company) went aboard, and returned with the information that none of the notices had yet come to hand. The men who were said to be giving notice were Lyttelton men, and if they gave notice just after the vessel drew away from the wharf the requisite period of 24 hours would expire before the ship began its return trip. The majority of the Wahine’s men, it is stated, belong to Wellington, and if they were leaving the vessel it would suit them best to give notjee at Lyttelton this morning. The Union Company is very hopeful of carrying on the usual service, even if all the cooks and stewards on the Wahine follow the lead given by their co-unionists on the Maori. COASTAL POSSIBILITIES. NO MOVE YET. A Wellington message (December 22) states that there is no indication as yet that the cooks and stewards on the other vessels running on the New Zealand coast will give notice to leave their ships; but that they will do so sooner or later appears to be inevitable. Every boat employs a cook, and several others have both cooks and stewards. All these will probably be involved should The companies attempt to run the boats without extra cooks or stewards. Interest will centre in any action which the Seamen’s Federation might take. The seamen have been instructed not to take any action whatever at present. If (boats are run minus cooks and stewards, seamen and firemen are to man them pending further instructions from headquarters. ' READY FORjaiERUENCY. IMPROYISING~MA.iI SERVICE. [Special to the ‘Stab.’] CHRISTCHURQH, December 23. The Canterbury Progress League, which can always be relied on to get into operation an emergency motor mail service well within twenty-four hours, is quite pie.

pared, -if tlia occasion requites, to organise a service tor both mails 1 and passengers between Christchurch, and Picton. Mr Climie, the organiser, stated last night that the nucleus of such a service was now in existence. The chief postmaster, Christchurch, had, however, informed him that the matter of improvising a temporaryservice, if required, would be attended to at Wellington, and that such temporary service would consist of a steamer or steamers (of a type not requiring the employment of stewards) to run between Wellington and Lyttelton. It was considered to be just as easy to run between Wellington and Lyttelton as between Wellington and Picton, and would be very much less expensive. If that plan was adopted the league’s service would not be required.