WATERFRONT DISPUTE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21978, 23 March 1946, Page 4

WATERFRONT DISPUTE

HARBOUR BOARD WORKERS DELAY TO SHIPPING (P.A.) AUCKLAND. March 23. A dispute over the minimum hours of overtime pay for crane-drivers and mobile plant drivers of the Auckland Harbour Board spread yesterday, when storekeepers abiding by the decision reached at a special general meeting of the employees’ union on Thursday night declined overtime last night. As a result, of this decision all sheds were closed at 5 p.m. and no work was carried on at the port on the overtime shift between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. There has been no indication of any solution to the deadlock, which has now been affecting the work of the port since March 8.

Shipping agents in Auckland are viewing the loss of time with concern, as movements of all ships, including vessels for Britain, are being seriously delayed. Up to Thursday a limited amount of work was possible with ships’ gear on coastal vessels and a few discharging ships from overseas, but the decision of the storekeepers not to accept overtime means a virtual shutdown on all cargo handling. Already congestion in the port is being felt. The United States motorship Fleetwood, which arrived yesterday afternoon from Okinawa to load for Liverpool, had to anchor in the stream until a suitable berth is vacant. In the next 10 days the position is expected to become increasingly worse.