AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1944, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING

BONUS 'PAYMENTS DISPUTE. ’SYDNEY, Novmeber 8. Dissatisfaction in shipping unions because of the recent reduction in war risk bonus payments to seamen may cause stoppages on the Australian waterfront. Four vessels are unable to leave Sydney because cooks refuse to sign on for duty. A spokesman for the 'shipowners said to-day that it was feared that a move was afoot to extend the stoppages. Union officials would make no statement, but it is understood the striking cooks have taken action on their own initiative. The leaders of some of the unions concerned say they may not be able to “hold” their rank and file from active protest against the reduction in the bonus As from November 1, by order of the Commonwealth Maritime Industry Commission, the war risk borius to Australian seamen was reduced from 50 per cent, to 33 1-3, 25, and 15 per cent, of the wages .paid, according to the zones in which the vessels operate. The maritime unions hope to have the bonus cuts reviewed. So far the illnesses of the Prime Minister (Mr. Curtin) and of the Minister of Supply (Mr. Beasley) have prevented the union representatives from making direct representations to the Government. The handling of cargoes at Australian ports may be disrupted x further because the machinery for dealing with stevedoring disputes has been jeopardised by the resignations of the chairman and deputy-chair-man of the Stevedoring Industry Commission (Chief Judge Piper and Mr. R. W. Nichol). Chief Judge Piper, who has been chairman of the Commission since its inception, is Chief Judge of the Commonwealth Arbitration Court. The resignations followed a direction by the Minister of Supply and Shipping that 14 deregistered wharf labourers be reinstated. The order was given in face of the threat of a general waterfront strike.