MERCHANT SERVICE DISPUTE

Evening Star, Issue 26067, 3 April 1947, Page 6

MERCHANT SERVICE DISPUTE

WHOLESALE RESIGNATIONS OF OFFICERS V PARALYSIS OF SHIPPING POSSIBLE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 2. Unless a compromise can be arranged between the ships' officers and the New Zealand Shipowners' Federation, every ship on New Zealand articles will be brought to a standstill early next month. Captain W. R. Williams, secretary of the New Zealand Merchant Service Guild, said to-day’ that 100 resignations had reached his office, and he expected that there would be another 150 within a day or two. They would be put in the hands of the employers next week. The guild, said Captain Williams, had been given a clear impression from! the Arbitration Court that an increase in pay would be granted, but this h>d not been carried out, ana the ipay rates remained at the 1939 level. The guild had received in December last a letter from the court, in which it was stated: “Having in mind the delay which has already occurred, we will be prepared to givd consideration to any application that may be made to make wages clauses in awards retrospective in operation to some reasonable date.” Subsequently the guild asked that wage increases should be made retrospective to June, 1946, on the assumption that there would be increases. The rates, however, were unchanged. . Masters and the officers were determined that their grievance was just, and that they were entitled to at least as much < consideration as other groups were being given. Commenting on Mr Norman’s claim that the action of the guild was unconstitutional, he said: “It is only necessary in . answer to this to quote, the president of the Shipowners' Federation—Mr Norman’s own president, Captain S. Holm—who is reported as saying that the course the masters and officers were taking was quite constitutional. Captain Williams said further that the £l2 war risk and gratuity bonus was in certain circumstances not paid at all. It was not paid when a vessel was being overhauled or off tho articles. These operations lasted sometimes for several months.