PICKLES & JAM

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 July 1927, Page 3

PICKLES & JAM

CREW'S STRANGE DEMANDS. As a result of the job control tactics of the crew of the Inter-State Steamships, Ltd., steamer Echunga, the vessel was delayed in Newcastle for 24 hours last week. Were the pinpricking methods of the Seamen’s Union not so well known, says the correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald, it would appear incredible that any vessel could be delayed for such a trifling grievance as has resulted in the interruption of the voyage of this steamer. At 5 p.m., a few hours before the Echunga/was scheduled to leave for Port Pirie, the crew delivered an ultimatum to the master that unless pickles were supplied to them in bottles intsead of in bulk, they would not take the vessel to sea. A further demand was that jam should be supplied in lib. tins instead of in 51b. tins, as had previously been the custom. Upon the crew’s demands being submitted to the Newcastle agents of the company, the latter at once communicated with the union secretary, and intimated that if the vessel was taken to sea they would be quite agreeable to make necessary adjustments regarding the pickles and jam. The secretary strongly urged the crew to man the steamer ,as the company had guaranteed that on future voyages bottled pickles and lib. tins of jam would be supplied. The crew, however, was not satisfied with this capitulation, and insisted that they would not take the Echunga to sea unless the desired alterations were made there .and then. The company, not wishing to suffer the heavy expense of having the steamer further delayed, ordered a supply of battled pjckles and lib. tins of jam, and at 8.30 p.m. the next day the vessel left the port.