Casual Watersiders Obliged to Join a Wellington Union

Grey River Argus, 17 February 1949, Page 5

Casual Watersiders Obliged to Join a Wellington Union

WELLINGTON, Feb 16. Dismayed by the ukase pronounced by the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union, between 40 and 50 “seagulls,’ or non-unionist casual waterfront employees, rushed to the Trades Hall yesterday afternoon with the expressed intention of. becoming members of any union which cared to accept them. When a dispute arose over the labour required to discharge fruit from the Kaimanawa, normal work on which has been resumed, the “seagulls” were told on presenting themselves lor engagement that they could not be employed until they joined a union, and that this was the attitude of the Waterside Workers’ Union. Between 300 and 400 “seagulls” are reported to be affected. Hurried consultations led to the descent on the Trades Hall where a number of men joined a particular union by paying 5s registration and £1 17s 6d as a subscription until September 20. VEXATIOUS QUESTION The union joined by the men asked when inquiries were made by the press that its name should not be published, as it said the question of non-union labour was vexatious and there was no desire to be thought to be entering on the preserves of the Waterside Workers’ Union. “The union which I joined did not wish to take my money or the fees of others,” said a spokesman for the “seagulls.” It said it could have no jurisdiction over us on the waterfront and that it could not serve us as a union. However, the fact remains that we are now unionists.” It is learned at the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union headquarters that the issue is not being forced, but that representations are being made to the national organisation, and probably to the New Zealand Federation of Labour with the object of having tha position of nonunionists defined. Until that was done, said a union official, the status quo would continue. There was no refusal to work with the “seagulls.” The union simply preferred the “seagulls” to ! be unionists and it was not concerned about what union the “seagulls” joined.