WORK ON WATERFRONT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 358, 28 March 1922, Page 2

WORK ON WATERFRONT.

~.IS» AItHITR ATION COrUT HEARS Disrn k. {1 ’or Press Association.) W'EEEINdTDN, Maivii 27. For (he first tune since 1908 the Arbitration Court is hearing a dispute dealing with work on the water!'rout. 'I he proceedings were initialed hy the employers, and the union filed counter-claims. 'I lie union asks lor an increase of Id per hour in the rates of pay, which now are 2s 4d per hour ordinary time, 3s 5d per hour overtime tip to 10 p.in., and 4s per hour overtime from 10 p.m. to 7 a. m. The employers ask that the rates he Is 7d per hour ordinary and 2s 4j>d per hour overtime. They also desire to abolish stop-work meetings and suggest special provisions against go-slow tactics and slop-work meetings. In opening the case for the employers, Mr W, (I, Smith emphasised its importance as a key industry. Approximately £1.200,000 was paid in wages per timiiini for waterside work. The basic wage had increased 64.7 per cent, since 1914, hut owing to the onerous conditions forced on the employers the men's actual earnings had

increased 72 per cent. As an instance of ibe effect of the high labour costs increasing unemployment, and detrimentally alfeel ing industry, lie quoted the position of Australia and also the ease ol the Cnion Steam Ship ( ompany, which for the first lime in 30 years bad not paid a dividend. Most of iln shipping companies were now running at a loss, and unless the expenditure were reduced, then still more ships would be laid up. ■ Mr Smith, continuing his address, said the high wages now paid were forced on the employers by force majeiire, owing to tlie war conditions. The actual cost of landing cargo at Wellington had increased on an average by 107.65 per cent, on general cargo, and 133.35 per cent, on coal, partly due to go-slow tactics. Mr Smith asked lor the deletion ot the wet weather clause, which had been llagrantly abused by the workers, in one case alone £145 had been paid in wages although not a stroke of work had been done for it. The employers also asked the (~'ourt to insert a no-discrimination, clause for the preference clause, which had been greatly abused. Further, the union bad not shown that it relied on constitutional i methods for a settlement of disputes. Its control had passed into the hands of men \ of advanced views, who run the union Jor the jjttrpo.se of advancing their revolutionary theories, and made illegal levies. II these were not paid, the union tried Ip debar the men from getting work.