WINDY WEATHER STOPS WORK ON BLUFF WATERFRONT

Grey River Argus, 28 October 1948, Page 6

WINDY WEATHER STOPS WORK ON BLUFF WATERFRONT

P.A. INVERCARGILL, October 27. For the second time within a fortnight, work on the waterfront at Bluff was interrupted to-day, after a dispute between the employers and th e watersiders concerning the state of the weather. The incident occurred when it was considered to be too windy to work the Strastone, which is discharging bulk guano. The employers agreed to this, and _the meh were stood by on full pay. The Waipiata men also knocked off. This was because the men on the Starstone had stopped, although it was agreed that the Waipiata, which was handling general cargo, could oe worked. . The employers then put the Waipiata labour off pay. After a short, meeting all labour left the waterfront at 2.30 p.m. Mr F. Vella, secretary of the Bluff Waterside Workers’ Union, said that the men had knocked off because it was too windy. They were notified bv the employers that the pay for the Starstone men would cease at 2.30 p.m., and for the Waipiata men at 2 p.m., so they returned to their homes.

Mr Vella explained that it was the custom at Bluff for the men on all ships to cease work if iUwas considered too windy to work" ah one ship.