COMMISSION BACK AT ALL PORTSWORK NORMAL

Grey River Argus, 23 August 1949, Page 5

COMMISSION BACK AT ALL PORTS—WORK NORMAL

WELLINGTON, Aug. 22 Normal hours of work, including overtime, have been resumed at all ports. This was announced to-day by the Minister of Labour, Mr McLagan. “The Government had previously intimated to the national union that the restoration of commission control required thq abandonment of disobedience of the commision’s decisions and the immediate resumption of normal work,” said the Minister. “On this being done the Government gtated that it would be prepared to give immediate consideration to the reintroduction of commisson control and th benefts which went with it.

“Th& Government has accordingly restored the commission form of control at all ports on and from today.” An Auckland message says that nearly 200 non-union waterfront Workers could not be employed this morning, although the wharves and harbour are crowded with a record tonnage of shipping. Union workers on Friday provided almost a full complement for all ships that could be worked. They seemed pleased to be handling cargo again. Non-union-ists fill the gaps in their ranks, but only 120 were needed to-day. Some of the ships at the wharves, which are nearing completion of cargo operations, worked a reduced number of hatches._ Coal, wheat, and phosphate ships which have been discharging by grab required fewer workers to-day. It is expected that more ships will be working to capacity to-morrow.

Talks between the national executive of the New Zealand Watersiders’ Union and the Minister of Labour will be held on Wednesday. This was stated in Wellington to-day by the secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union, Mr T. Hill, who declined to comment on Mr McLagan’s announcement that the commission form of coritrol has been restored at all Dominion ports.