Another Waterfront Hold-up

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 262, 4 November 1938, Page 7

Another Waterfront Hold-up

Auckland Wharves Idle WATERSIDERS REFUSE TO HANDLE CARGO Per Pi esa Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. As a result of the refusal of mcmbeis of the Auckland Watersido Workers’ Union to handle cargo on tho Union Company’s ships, Waiunu and Kaimirc, unless their claims concerning starting time and wages were settled, work ceased on botu vessels to-day. Conferences between the l’ort of Auckland Shipping and Stevedores' Association and representatives of the union yielded no result, and intimating that the award provided for tho settlement oi ali disputes on constitutional lines without stoppage of work, the association announced that no iurther labour will be engaged on until tho terms of the award are complied with. At tho conclusion of the conference the p.cidcnt of the Waterside Workers' Union (Mr. R. G. Jones) stated that he did not regard the position a* serious. lie added that a meeting of tho union would be held to-morrow morning, and he hoped that an early solution would be found for the die* pules. An explanation of the disputes wa.given this afternoon in a statement j issued by Captain Lewis, chairman oi the Port of Auckland Shipping and Stevedores' Association. It was stated that on Wednesday, the day of the usual monthly meeting of tho waterside workers, six gangs were ordered for JO a.m. at the Waiana, there being nc room for more until 03 motor-cars had been discharged. Three additional gangs were ordered for a start at 1 p.m., but at 10 p.m. the original si* gangs and the three extra gangs ah refused to turn to unless all hands were paid from 10 a.m. The ship was closed up, buit started again at 8 o'clock this morning. Dealing with tho disputo on the Kaimiro, tho statement said that at 8 a.m. to-day, owing to the rain, eight gangs were ordered for a 9 a.m. start, but when the men arrived on t>o job they refused to turn to unless paid from 8 a.m. The locul disputes committee meeting was held this morning, the employers and tlio union failed to reash any agreement on tho dispute. On the Wniaua at 1 o'clock this afternoon the men engaged for the Waiana refused to continue work. “Tho employers are not concerned in these cases the disputes,'' tho statement added, “foi there is adequate and expensive machinery available to deal with such matters. However, they are very concerned with the direct action taken by the men, apparently backed up by their executive. As the essence of the waterside workers’ award is that tho work of the employers shall continue at all times, and that ali disputes shall be settled on constitutional lines, it ’s decided that no further labour will be engaged on the Auckland waterfront until tho terms of the award are complied with. “The effoct of the association’s decision will be that, until work is resumed on the Waiana and Kaimaro, no labour will be engaged to handle the cargo on incoming ships when they reach port. No other ships at present at the wharves will be affected, although they will not be able to employ any additional gangs. Tho Waiana has a general cargo from southern ports and is berthed at Prince’s wharf, and tho Kaimiro at King’s wharf has a cargo from Australia. Both vessels were originally scheduled to leave Auckland to-morrow No large overseas or coastal ships will reach Auckland to-morrow, but an influx is expected here- at tho weekend.