N.Z. WATERFRONT DISPUTE SETTLED WITH RESUMPTION AT ALL PORTS OF OVERTIME FROM THIS MORNING

Grey River Argus, 19 August 1949, Page 5

N.Z. WATERFRONT DISPUTE SETTLED WITH RESUMPTION AT ALL PORTS OF OVERTIME FROM THIS MORNING

ATTITUDE OF GOVERNMENT AND MINISTER OF LABOUR FULLY VINDICATED P.A. WELLINGTON, August 18 Work will return to normal, at all of the Dominion 1 ports to-morrow. A direction in these terms was issued, this afternoon, by the National Executive of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union to all of the branches.

Over 1600 Men To Be Offered Jobs To-day at Auckland NIGHT WORK TO RESUME P.A. AUCKLAND, August 18. Discs offering employment to more than 1600 unionists on 11 overseas ships and nine inter-colonial and large coastal vessels, and also several small coastal ships, will be displayed at the Labour Engagement Bureau shortly before 8 a.m. to-morrow. Night overtime will be worked for the first time since June 27. Nearly 50,000 tons of cargo held in ships at Auckland waterfront will begin to move to-morrow morning. The stoppage lasted seven working days. With 30 idle ships it is estimated that the past seven days, including the loss of trade, have cost the shipowners about £105,000. The workers’ losses in the same period are estimated at £147,000. Nearly 22,000 cases of bananas 'from Fiji, valued at over £32,000, are in the refrigerated holds of the Union Company’s island vessel, Matua, which arrived at Auckland to-day. As the fruit is sealed-in the holds, it cannot be inspected without risk of rapid deterioration. Experts think, however, it should last over the week-end.

Hon A. Mclagan Congratuiated On Settlement P.A. WELLINGTON, Aug. 18 “I want to congratulate the Minister of Labour on his able, firm, and successful handling of the situation,” said the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, in the House of Representatives this afternoon, when he read to the House his statement on the waterfront settlement. The statement was greeting by approving comments from both sides of the House. Watersiders’ Deputation To Ministers is Told Government Attitude WELLINGTON, Aug. 18 The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, announced this afternoon that the waterfront dispute has been settled. Normal hours are being resumed immediately. At a meeting with a deputation from the Watersiders’ National Executive to-day, after Mr Fraser said action would have to be taken against persons trying to/prevent the people from getting food and other necessaries. Mr A. Barnes, the watersiders’ president said the Executive had decided to instruct the union members to resume normal working. Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, Prime Minister, stated to-day that at the request of the Waterside Workers’ Union he and the Minister of Labour, Mr McLagan, this morning received a deputation composed of the National Executive of the union. Mi’ H. Barnes president of the union, was the principal speaker and stated in detail the case for the union executive. In reply, Mr Fraser said the Government would, after a thorough examination and analysis, give Mr Barnes’s statement full consideration The Minister of Labour woud be asked to furnish a detailed commentary and report on the statement and both would have the fullest consideration.

‘The Minister of Labour has the full ’support of the Government in all he has done/’ said Mr Fraser to the deputation. “I have to convey to you the decision of the Cabinet that the Government will not arrange or take part in further discussion.s with the Waterside Workers’ Union, its officers, executive or council in regard to the matters in dispute until normal hours are resumed at all ports, including overtime.

“On full working hours, including overtime, being resumed, discussions can be commenced with a view to achieving a satisfactory administration and conditions on the waterfront throughout the Dominion. An absolutely essential condition of the reestablishment and continuation of commission control is the acceptance and observance of the decisions of the commissipn.” Mr Fraser said that, if normal working hours were commenced, discussions could be started right away in an endeavour to get a permanent waterfront authority whose decisions would be observed. The country wanted peace on the waterfront. It was not in the interests of the people, or any section, for the present state of the waterfront to continue. A WARNING

Mi’ Fraser stated that the Government could not remain still. It must and would take action against any persons trying to prevent the people from getting food and other necessities. When such action was taken, it would be very bad for all concerned. Indeed it might be very tragic. “We do not want that to happen,” said Mr Fraser. “We want normal work to commence at all ports and discussions can be started as soon as possible afterwards.” Mr Barnes then stated that the executive had come to a decision to instruct the members of the union to resume normal working hours. Mr T. Hill, secretary of the union, said they would issue a direction to their members to that effect to-day. Mr Fraser’s Words Of Warning PA WELLINGTON, Aug. 18 In his statement to the watersipers deputation to-day the Prime Minister Mr Fraser said: “We want peace on ’the waterfront of this country. It is not in the interests of the country,

of people as a whole .or of any section of the people for the present state of the waterfront to continue. The Government cannot remain still! The .Government must, and will, take action against any person, or persons, who are trying to prevent the people from getting food, supplies, and other necessities. This is imminent! When such action is taken, it will be very bad for all concerned. Indeed, it might be very tragical. We do not want that to happen. Mr Barnes then announced the resumption of normal work.

Mr Holland Wants Penalties and Ban On Waterside Leaders From Any Future Waterfront Control P.A. WELLINGTON, August 18. The announcement that work on the Auckland and on other affected waterfronts is to be resumed will be received with feelings of intense relief,” said the Leader of the Opposition, Mr S. G. Holland, tonight. “It is not exaggeration to say that the people of New Zealand are heartily sick of all this unnecessary industrial wrangling and Stoppages,’’ he continued. “I have said all along that firm action is needed in handling these troubles, which have greatly increased b v weaknesses and capituuations of the past, and it is to be hoped that, when negotiations begin for establishing yet another form of waterfront control, that the Government will stand firm and insist that very substantial penalties are provided that can be' enforced if further defiance of lawful agreements is experienced. So far the only ones who have been penalised for these unlawful holdups have been the innocent public while the guilty ones have got off scot free. There has been a vast amount of public inconvenience over the last few years and repeated changes in the form of waterfront control have yielded no improvement in conduct. The watersiders have been given a direct say in the management of waterfrdnt work, but they have been the first to break agreements they have been parties to. By their'outrageous conduct, they have forfeited 'any claims to public sympathy, or to membership of any future form of control. “Everybody wants to see. the watersiders well paid, and enjoying good and safe conditions of employment, but no one wants to see these constantly recurring stoppages with their widespread public inconveniences. Auckland certainly seems to get more than its share of the trouble. Disruption of trade has cost this country hundreds of thousands of pounds, and all to no purpose. The Government must positively insist that in any new form of waterfront control, three vital provisions should be made. —First, by a provision that every dispute will be submitted to a legally constituted judicial authority, whose decisions shall be enforceable at law; secondly, that very substantial penalties are provided for breaches of law and refusal to carry out obligations. Thirdly that all questions involving stoppages of work be submitted to an independentlysupervised secret ballot with heavy penalties for breaches of that provision. Those who, by their disgraceful conduct, refuse to carry out their obligations, should be idisqualified frdm being members of any future waterfront control system. It is fantastic that those who habitually break laws and rules should be placed in positions where they can make rules. ’

The people will look to the Govei'nment to bring about a final settlemen of these recurring troubles, and has a right to expect the strongest action, not merely the patching up of the present trouble, but in bringing about permanent conditions on the wharves, where the trade of the country can be carried on properly and without interruption. Another form of control will not be sufficient. We must have a system that will work, and penalties that can be enforced.” N.Z. Labour Federation Welcomes Return To Negotiations

WELLINGTON, Aug. 18. A statement of _ the principles on which the Federation of Labour bases its approach to industrial disputes was made tonight by the secretary, Mr K. M. Baxter. “My federation has appioved of industrial ruptures, where these have been necessary in the interests of industry and of the economy of the Dominion,” said Mr Baxter. “The waterside workers have been given the Waterfront Industry Commission, on which they have representation. In accord with the policy of the Trade Union Movement, the officials of the union are obliged to acce' 5f and to observe the decisions of the commission. Violation of them has meant chaos, and also meant isolation from the workers of the Dominion—who were not prepared to put their weight into the scrum on this occasion. They feel that, to maintain our standards of living, primary products must be exported in quantity as quickly as possible. “The return by the Waterside Workers' officials to negotiations upholds the policy of the Federation of Labour. “It wiil put more into the pocket's of the watersiders than agitation and industrial conflict.”