Greymouth Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1943. INDUSTRIAL FRONT.

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 April 1943, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1943. INDUSTRIAL FRONT.

expenditure on the war makes it inevitable that many must profit financially through the struggle, workers as well as employers. Regulations and control keep profiteering within limits, especially where necessities are concerned, but there are avenues for easy money that are not overlooked by the less scrupulous. There is a general belief that some sections of wage-earners take advantage of the opportunities offered, output not being so great as it should be for the money received. “There is not a single worker today who does as much work as he did five years ago,” said Mr. AV. E. Turland at a Conciliation Council sitting at Christchurch yesterday, when proposed amendments to the Shop Tailoring Trade Workers’ Award were submitted by the workers’ representatives. “It is a case of more pay and less work all the time.” This estimate was not accepted by other assessors.

One calling that has found itself more or less on velvet through the war’s needs, is the waterside industry, especially in the main ports, high wages and plenty of work being general. In New Zealand, not much has been heard of late about waterside stoppages, although rain at Auckland last week proved too much for the men’s endurance, U.S.A, marines having to be substitutes. A brighter aspect was the promise by the Wellington branch of the Watersiders’ Union which held a stopwork meeting yesterday, to assist in. the elimination of the inefficiency and abuses that exist in the industry, fuller co-opera-tion with the Waterfront Control Commission, and speedier loading and discharging of vessels. This open confession that there is scope for betterment was significant. and practical results will be aAvaited with interest. Other ports might copy Wellington’s lead.

The New Zealand waterfront is not alone in finding that the course of daily labour does not run smoothly. Sydney is experiencing another strike, this stoppage being opposed by the men’s' leaders, and even by the Communists who are often blamed for initiating waterside stoppages. Here again, servicemen, mostly U.S.A, marines, had to fill the breach. So well did these volunteers work, it was estimated that each gang of servicemen handled on average, thirty-five tons of cargo an hour compared with about fifteen tons handled by wharf labourers since the war began, ft is often stated by waterside unions that handling cargoes is difficult and dangerous work. The fact that “amateurs” can do so well at so short notice, suggests that the unions’ estimate may be exaggerated, and that it is only in certain tasks that expert knowledge is desirable. However, the main point is not the degree of skill, or the system of engagement, but the duty of all engaged on the waterfront, or in any other really essential warindustry to do their utmost to assist the common cause, and endure, if necessary, abnormal conditions, whilst the war lasts. No Allied country altogether escapes industrial “shirkers,” Britain and U.S.A., despite the workers’ wonderful record during the past three years, having frequent instances of unnecessary stoppages, because of grievances, real and imaginary. Much correspondence on the subject is published in the newspapers, a satirical example—which all workers should read, mark, learn and inwardly digest—being as follows: “I have been told that the Amalgamated Society of Sappers of the Eighth Army are to strike in three weeks’ time if within this period the C.-in-C. does not intervene to grant their request for a revision of pay for lifting mines on the battlefield. Further, the Union of Tank Crews have resolved to start a stay-in strike unless adequate canteen facilities are available when they go into action. The Association of R.A.M.C. Orderlies have also decided to down stretchers pending the settlement of their claim for overtime at double normal rates for wounded carried after 5 p.m.”