Labour Affiliations Enjoin Settlement

Evening Star, Issue 25993, 7 January 1947, Page 6

Labour Affiliations Enjoin Settlement

The .secretary, of the Federation of Labour,•'Mr.r-Kv McL. Baxter,, stated thisevenihg*that a meeting called at the -request of the Amalgamated' Society of Railway Servants, the New Zealand Workers’ Union, the Railway Tradesmen’s Association, the United Mine 'Workers’, the Engine Drivers, Firemen, - and Gleaners’ Association, the New . Zealand Federated Seamen’s Union,, the; New Zealand Cooks and Stewards’ Union, all affiliated to the Federation of Labour, to-day unanimously .carried a resolution endorsing the statement by the Federation of- Labour 'dated December. 24, 1946. recommending to the Waterside; Workers’ Union that> they should re-

- In spite of the expiry of the Go- ’ vernment’s ultimatum, the Auckland waterside workers refused to undertake overtime to-night. . Following -a meeting of its executive, the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union by telephone informed the shipping companies and Captain H. Ruegg, branch manager of the Waterfront Industry Commission j that jt would not depart from the 40-hour week. . According to representatives of the shipping companies; the union spokesman added that orders for overtime work had been given for some ships, but any ships which worked would be declared “ black.” This advice was given to the companies about 3 o’clock. Preparations were made by the companies for an evening shift, and the men were asked to work. There was a 100 per cent, refusal. There was no call for non-union labour to replace the watersiders who had refused overtime. The president of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union, Mr H. Barnes, refused to make any statement when approached at the gates. He would not comment on the day’s happenings, and declined, to say ' whether or not his union had advised ' other, organisations, apart ; from the shipping companies or the commission, of its stand. About 2,000 men were required for an evening shift. Although a large - number of non-unionists were employed during the day, the port was still short of 120 men. Workers on annual holidays totalled 130, and there were about 500 others who were not

No Response to Calls Situation at Main Ports

sume normal work, and hand the dispute) over immediately to the Federation of Labour with a view to bringing about a satisfactory settlement. Mr Baxter said he had communicated the.text of the resolution to Mr Hill. He also stated ®;that the Federation of Labour was satisfied that if the dispute were handed over to the federation for negotiation, and normal work on, the waterfront resumed, the points in dispute could be settled at an early date to the satisfaction of the waterside . workers and the Labour movement.

available because of sickness and other reasons. The union has about 1,900 members. Content to await the Government’s next move, the shipping companies took no further action after the men had ■ refused to work., ,Al representative said that non-unionists would be placed in an invidious position if they were, asked to work. Fifteen overseas ships, three of them lying in the stream, filled . the congested port. There are seven large coastal and intercolonial vessels also in port. Calls for overtime work on the Wellington waterfrdit were refused by the watersiders, who ignored the Government’s ultimatum. Although waterside labour was ordered back for 6 o’clock at Lyttelton, and, although the 6 o’clock whistle, blew as usual, the proceedings were just'a formality, for there was no response by the watersiders, and none was expected. There, were rumours that, the men would refuse to work at all next day. There is little support for these rumours, however, and it is expected that the. men will, in the meantime, continue to work restricted hours. When questioned as to what would happen next day, the secretary of the Lyttelton branch of the union, Mr J. Flood, declined to make any statement. “ Let to-morrow take care of itself,” he said. No work was done on the Dunedin waterfront at night. The company concerned with operations on 1 ' the Kauri and the Karetu called for labour at ,6 p.m., but at that hour the wharves were almost deserted.

Government Regretfully Acts

' The Minister .' of ; Labour, Mr McLagan,' stated to-night that it ’was with regret that he had to announce that the Prime Minister’s offer to the ."Waterside Workers’ Union to facilitate an immediate discussion of the matters in dispute provided normal work was resumed on the waterfront had; not been accepted. As normal hours of work had not been resumed on. the waterfront in accordance with the proposals made by the Prime Minister, an order had been issued' Suspending tlje powers and authoritiesvof the Waterfront Industry Commission.: Certain ports which had continued to observe normal hours of work were excluded from the sus*

pension order, and would continue to. enjoy the rates of wages and conditions of employment prescribed by the. commission. These ports were:—Mangonui, Whangaroa, Bay of Islands, Whangarei, Paeroa, Tauranga, Whakatane, Opotiki, Tokomaru Bay, To|aga Bay, 1 Awanui, Hokianga, Kaipara, Port Waikato, Patea, Motueka, Tokaka, and Hokitika. The Minister expressed the hopo that an early resumption of normal hours of work would still take place, so that the points in dispute could be examined and a determination made_ as to. what should be done in connection with them.

What the Men Lose

The .elimination of the authority of port committees, the abandonment ‘ of the co-operative, contracting system, and the suspension of numerous privileges and . improvements in working conditions enjoyed by the watersiders are involved in the Suspension OrderThe commission, is not abolished. Tt retains control of the labour engagement bureau and the central pay offices, in which’ the greater part of. its staff is employed. The _ contract system, which involves considerable staff, will, however, with its elimination leave the commission' with smaller staff require-

ments. The .present size of the commission staff throughout New Zealand is 160 to 170. The Order suspends regulations 9. 10, 13, and 21 of the Waterfront Industry Emergency Regulations, 1936, and all of the orders, directions, oi decisions made or deemed to have been made by the commission or any port committee under the Regulations except orders numbered 110 and IP affecting the operation of the labour engagement bureaux and pay offices. The suspension order does not apply to various minor ports.