Control System Pays Men Better Than Employers Offer

Grey River Argus, 21 May 1947, Page 5

Control System Pays Men Better Than Employers Offer

AUCKLAND, May 20.

Recent’ statements by the president of the New Zealand Watersiders’ Union, Mr H. Barnes, concerning the co-operative contracting system introduced in June, 1940, by the first Waterfront Control Commission are incorrect in the main points, according to the former commission chairman, Captain R. E. Price. Ha states that the system was not imposed at any port against the wishes.' of the union, as stated by Mr Barnes.

Captain Price maintains that the contract rates were worked out by diligent research of the tonnage records and expert knowledge of contracting, and these were made available to the union officials before the system was introduced at any port with consent of the union officials. In every case, Captain Price continues, the contract rates were substantially higher than tose offered by the shipowners.