BANNED FROM WHARVES

Grey River Argus, 18 February 1944, Page 5

BANNED FROM WHARVES

WELLINGTON UNION ' For Refusal to Resume BY WATERFRONT COMMISSION. WELLINGTON, Feb 17. No work was done on the Wellington waterfront this morning. In order that the public should have a clear view of the circumstances surrounding, the waterfront hold-up and the measures taken by the Commission, the facts are set out at length in a statement issued to-day by the Waterfront Control Commission. The statement quotes a letter addressed to-day by the Commission t 0 the Secretary of the Wellington Branch of the Union intimating that unless the men resumed work. by 1 p.m. their Union membership tickets would no longer be accepted as a pass to the wharves. The men were not back at the hour stipulated. “We have an understanding, witn, and the full co-operation of, kindred unions that no ‘black’ cargo will oe worked,” said the Secretary of.the Wellington Watersiders” Union (Mr. E. A. Napier) this morning. On Tuesday there was a delay. ln the call for labour for the Tamahme. The result was that the Watersiders Union refused to work the vessel after her arrival from Picton at b p.m. Under the rules labour has to be called by; 9 a.m., but the men were not t notified till about 10 a.m. They therefore, refused to accept tne job. After the Tamahine arrived she was worked from 6 to 9 a.m. oy the permanent staff of the Union Coy., members of the crew working the winches. Eggs will be in short supply in Wellington as a result of the stoppage on the waterfront, said Mr. JMatthews, manager of Combined Distributors. No further deliveries, could be made this week in the Wellington area for civilian consumption. The inter-island ferry brought 7,500 dozen from the south, but only six crates, or 180 dozen eggs were unloaded, the rest having been carried back to Lyttelton. Efforts were made to have the eggs unloaded, and every} assistance was given by the authorities without success. F. WELLINGTON, Feb. 17. At 1 p.m. to-day, members of the Wellington Waterside Workers Union were banned from entering the Wellington wharves. This was the outcome of an intimation given to the Union this morning by tne Waterfront Control Commission, which advised the Union that, failing a. resumption of work at 1 p.m., the Union membership cards used as wharf passes would not be recognised as such by the police. The men did not resume work, and there were no members of the Union present at 1 p.m. The offices of the Wellington Union which are normally in a building on the wharves, were removed this morning to a room in the city. The statement issued by the Waterfront Control Commission to-day says: That in a period of less than three months to date, the waterside workers had illegally stopped the whole work of the Port of Wellington on three occasions, and, despite warnings that the stoppages were illegal, had refused to answer correspondence, or to explain their conduct. The Commission pointed out that the machinery provided for the settling of disputes had been used successful in well over one thousand disputes since the Commission was established, but it was apparent, from what had transpired over the past two months, that the Union had no intention of utilising the constitutional machinery for settlement ot disputes. . , The statement explained that the present hold-up surrounded the case of the three men who refused transter to another job when they were no longer required on an earlier job, and who had been refused payment tor time on the job after they; had been directed to transfer. This matter had been referred to the Commission, which had advised that it should go through the constitutional channels, but the Commission, later received a telephone message, that, unless the men were retained on the- job at pay, the whole ship would cease work at 3 p.m. Work was stopped at that time by about one hundred and forty men, who had been employed on an important overseas vessel. The Commission later the same day, served notice on the Union, ordering the men to return to work. The men held a meeting on the following' morning, and the Commission was asked, by telephone, if it 'would permit the three men to go back io the job. the reply was that the men could go back, but that payment would not be guaranteed, and that the dispute mus. |o through the proper channels. It was learned, later, that all of the men of the Union had gone home, and no further information was received as to their intention. Consequently, the Commission had advised the Union of its itention to cancel the wharf passes, after informing the Union that the Commission took its action to mean that the Union did not intend to carry on working in accordance with the orders of the Commission. A similar explanation of the circumstances leading' up to the stoppage was given to-day by the Wellington Harbour Board, which stated that orders given by the Board were in conformity with the Commission.

Non-Union Labour

TO WORK ON WHARVES TO-DAY.

AT WELLINGTON AND AUCKLAND. P.A. WELLINGTON, Feb. 17. There was drastic action taken today by) the Waterfront Control Commission over .the hold-up of all of the shipping on the Wellington waterfront, and equally drastic action will be taken to-morrow to handle the most urgent cargo. . . Captain R. E. Price, Commissioner of Waterfront Control stated tonight that, using its authority under the Waterfront Control Commission Emergency Regulations, the Commission had made all arrangements for labour to work the most urgent cargo to-morrow on both the , Wellington and the Auckland watenronts. This follows the Commission’s action to-day in banning all of the members of the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union from entering the wharves. » The watersiders, this afternoon and to-night, had pickets outside of the entrances to all of the Wellington wharves, but no attempt was made by the men to stop anyone from entering or leaving.

End of Auckland Deadlock

EXPECTED TO-DAY. GANGWAY READJUSTMENT. 4 P.A. AUCKLAND, Feb. 17. Although official confirmation could not be obtained to-night, it was stated, in reliable quarters, that steps had been taken which will terminate the deadlock on the waterfront, and ' permit of the resumption of cargo : operations on all ships to-morrow. It

was learned that the ship over which the dispute originated has been moved to a fresh berth. This would involve the fixing of its gangway to the wharf in a new position. In the event of it being fixed to the satisfaction of the waterside workers, and ii they are prepared to use the gangway and work the vessel, then labour will be called for all of the other ships which have been idle. A meeting of the Auckland Trades Council of the Federation of Labour, was held to-night. It is understood the waterside dispute was fully discussed. The President, Mr. F. Craig, said he could make no official statement on a report that the dispute had been adjusted. He said that events at the waterfront in the morning would indicate whether progress had been made. The President of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ .Union, Mr. H. Barnes, also declined to make any comment on the position. The Waterfront Controller, Captain Stanich, explained that the vessel over which the dispute had arisen had been shifted to another wharf in accordance with necessary berthing arrangements for other ships. He anticipated, therefore, that the gangway dispute could no longer apply. When asked whether this meant work would now be resumed on the waterfront. Captain Stanich said the Waterside Workers’ Union had. already announced that the men were prepared to work all ships if the gangway was made safe. He anticipated that normal working, conditions would be med to-morrow. . i