SEAMEN DECLINE TO DECLARE STRIKE

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6838, 20 April 1932, Page 6

SEAMEN DECLINE TO DECLARE STRIKE

Those in Jobs Want to Keep Them UNEMPLOYED DEMAND HOLD-UP Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. 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 (hose present is required. Tho declared purpose of the meeting was to consider communications from tho National Council which has been sitting in Wellington, but thcro was a considerable clement present intent on testing tho 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 tho meeting being 55 members of the crew of the inter-colonial steamer Maun.ganui which did not berth until well after the meeting had commenced. It is understood that the seamen in employment wero against any proposal to hold up ships, while tho 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 tho union that by going on strike just now seamen in employment would needlessly sacrifice the beneiits they enjoyed under tho existing agreement covering their wages and conditions. Tho Federated Seamen’s Union is not a party to tho Arbitration Court, but the men’s wages and conditions arc fixed by mutual agreement which came into force on April Ist, 1930, and was arranged to remain in i'oreo until July 31st, 1932. This agreement was arrived at as a result of a round table confcrenco between representatives of tho shipowners and seamen, and tho guarantee that the conditions would be carried out, bears tho signature of the chairman of the New Zealand Shipowners’ Federation, the General Manager of the Union Steam Ship Company ,and the General President and General Secretary of the Seamen’s Union. By virtue of this agreement the seamen were 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.

Hie decision of to-day’s meeting was communicated to the National Council in Wellington, and it is not anticipated that any further action will be taken in Auckland until the position has been reviewed by that body.