Greymouth Evening Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1946. Action on the Waterfront

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 December 1946, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1946. Action on the Waterfront

W ITH the election over and the Government back in power with a reduced working majority, certain of the domin-

ant pressure groups within the Labour structure are to present the bill for their support and their restraint during the critical months just prior to the polling. The Waterside Workers’ Union has been

the first to move. The case may be briefly stated. What appears to be a serious dispute has come to a head between the union and the Waterfront Industry Commission over the terms on which the latter has granted the former’s claims for attendance pay and guaranteed wages. The

union is not satisfied and has resolved to give expression to its resentment by deciding to work only a five-day, 40-hour week until further notice, and to refuse all over-time. Now, the Waterside Workers’ Union is a powerful one. Not, infrecpiently it has given evidence of the influence it wields with the Government, so much so that it has been accorded the privilege of having a special tribunal appointed to deal with its claims. The majority of other unions have, of course, to be content with the ordinary and well-tried industrial processes.

The present Waterfront Commission, having succeeded that which operated during the war, has not had an easy task. It is one which has been made infinitely more difficult by the attitude of the union representatives, who have apparently been insisting on the granting of their claims in full. And now, not having been able to obtain through constitutional channels everything they desire, they have resorted to a form of direct action in a further effort to gain their ends. Food Required Overseas.

The outbursts of the watersiders’ leaders have a familiar ring; the action on which they have decided follows a familiar path. To pursue it without heed of the consequences can result only in the encouragement of further disrespect for'the law of the land and governmental authority—a trend which has already caused serious disquiet.

The general public is aware that for a generation the waterside workers have gained repeated improvements in their wage-level and working conditions, especially in the past 11 years under a friendly and often weak-kneed Government until by now their lot should be unsurpassed in. the ports of the world. But even assuming that they have a real grievance, the action of the men in cutting down their hours in retaliation is certainly indefensible at a time like the present. The plight of their fellow-workers in Britain, who are attempting to maintain production on a monotonous and wholly inadequate food ration appears to have received no consideration. Starvation does not observe the 40-hour week, nor famine an eight-hour day. The Old Country is now entering' the winter and it is imperative that the flow of food supplies should be maintained at a steady level.

The local effects of the delay in loading which the watersiclers’ decision will bring about require no stressing. r lhe people of this district are well aware ol the need for a quick turn-round of all ships if the economy of the district is not to be disrupted with consequent financial loss, and if furnaces in the North Island are not to go coal less. Who Pays ?

The ports of this country are notorious as the slowest in the world for handling cargo, in spite of their modern equipment. If wilful inefficiency continues a time may come when overseas shipowners will refuse to put up with the losses and delays that are imposed upon them. It is not enough, that the rank and file of the workers should accept unquestioned the reckless statements of their leaders that their claims will harm only the shipping companies. Usually it will be found that such concerns are capable of protecting themselves, for the simple reason that the Government cannot deny them the right to pass on any increased charges to the public. In I he long run it is the workers themselves who have to pay. The cost of liv-

ing is already high enough. The most serious aspect of the dispute, however, is that by their action in i efusing to abide by the decision of the Commission the wa.terside.rs are merely helping to destroy another plank in the arbitiation platform on which the Labour Paity stands. If unions are not to abide by the decisions of the Government’s own authorities, appointed constitutionally to consider judicially and impartially the disputes placed before them, and if they are simply to take the law into their own hands, then the. only result will be chaos. It is time —indeed past time that the Government faced up to the issue.