SEAMEN’S UNION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 119, 20 April 1932, Page 7

SEAMEN’S UNION.

ADVERSE STRIKE FIGHT AT AUCKLAND. Per Pre.'is Association. AUCKLAND, April 19. Consideration of a proposal to declare a strike was the main business of a large stop-work meeting of members of the Auckland branch of the Federated Seamen’s Union held at the Trades’ Hall to-day. The meeting commenced at eight o’clock and lasted for over three hours, and at its close it was announced that no decision had been reached. It is learned however, that on the proposal to declare a strike, about 200 men voted in favour of such a move, while there was an adverse vote of approximately 250. It is understood that to put such a proposal into effect a two-thirds majority of those present is required. The declared purpose of the meeting was to consider communications from the National Council which has been sitting in Wellington, but there was a considerable element present intent on testing the feeling on the strike question, and as a result of their insistence the proposal put forward was warmly debated. Members of the union from all the steamers in port were in attendance, the last to arrive at, the meeting being 35 members of the crew of the inter-colonial - steamer Maunganui, winch did not berth until well after the meeting had commenced. It is understood that the seamen in employment were against any proposal to hold up ships, while the great body of those who have had no work for many months, as a result of numerous ships having been laid up, favoured a strike. , It was pointed out by a member of the union that by going on strike just now seamen in employment would needlessly sacrifice the benefits they enjoyed under the existing agreement covering their wages and conditions. The Federated Seamen’s Union is not a party to the Arbitration Court, but the men’s wages and conditions came into force on April 1, 1930, and are fixed by a mutual agreement winch was arranged to remain in force until July 31, 1932. This agreement was arrived at as a result of a round table conference between representatives of the shipowners and seamen, and the guarantee that the conditions would be carried out hears the signature of the chairman of the New Zealand Shipowners’ Federation, the general manager of the Union Steam Ship Company, and the general president of general secretary of the Seamen’s Union. By virtue of this agreement the seamen wero not affected by the 10 per cent, wage cut, and would not be subjected to any other reductions that might be imposed on other workers.'* The decision of to-day’s meeting was communicated to the National Council in Wellington, and it is not anti6ipated that any further action will be taken in Auckland until the position has been reviewed b3 r that body.