WELLINGTON WATERSIDE WORKERS

Maoriland Worker, Volume 13, Issue 31, 1 August 1923, Page 2

WELLINGTON WATERSIDE WORKERS

Tbe Years Activities

i_msa! Report by President

■ ______ 'M the annual meeting: of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union, Mr. "L*. Glover gave the following review >of the year's work:— •'■■' ffn presenting my , seventh annual report, I find some"'difficulty' in dealing fully with the activities of our Union in the time at our disposal, but what I have to say will briefly cover all "the ground arid give a lead for the ensuing year. Hard facets have taught the workers of every country that to improve their conditions and wages, struggle Is necessary, and that to win success the struggle must be conducted by a combination of forces scientifically tfirected and exerted when favourable opportunities present themselves. It is no use giving lip service to solidarity; if we really believe in it, we must set an example on the job, where it is the duty of every unionist to see that" union principles ate upheld. In this way the weaker members will be encouraged, and glass and national solidarity be made gs-jssible and ultimately find expression in a happier and better state of Society. The transport workers hold one of the most important positions in industry, and they should meet, the responsibility of placing their organisation In the forefront of the work-ing-class movement to achieve this object. NATIONAL ORGANISATION. Never before in, N.Z: have so many national organisations been affiliated to the one body, viz., the N.Z. Allianct. of Labour. The Federations now affiliated are: A.S.RJS., N.Z. Watersidlers' Federation, N.Z. Federated Seamen's Union, N.Z. Miners' Federation, N.Z. Drivers' Federation, N.Z. Tramwaymen's Federation, N.Z. Amalgamated Society of Engineers and Metal Workers' Association, N.Z. Freezing Workers' Federation, and the N.Z. Federated Store—en and Packers. It •will be seen that there only remain outside the Alliance the N.Z. Workers' •Union and the Trades and Labour Councils.. As negotiations with the later are under way, it is hoped that they will be affiliated in a month or 80.

During the year the Alliance has put £3000 into The Maoriland Worker, and it now controls that paper. We as watersiders have, roughly, 400 shares in the company. I would favour a remit being sent to the Watersiders' Annual Conference to take up further shares In the new company. THE AWARD. The award which came into operation on November 30, 1922, is one of the worst documents which has operated on the waterfront for many years. Judge Frazer said he was going to straighten out some of the anomalies in the old agreement, but I think he made a poor job of it, judging by the number of disputes that Siave been before the Local and National Disputes Committee. The first Local Disputes Committee • was held on February 8, and since then we have had six full meetings and three snb-committee meetings, dealing in all with 40 disputes. I have not •worked out the percentage of wins, but it is safe to say it is not nearly as large as under the industrial agreement, when there was more Industrial action. In the National' Disputes Committee we have dealt with 55 disputes covering nearly every port in New Zealand in a matter of five sittings. As we were unable to come to an agreement in •many instances, they were referred to the Arbitration Court under clause 50 of the award. Up to the present time 16 disputes have been argued before the Court, three m Napier and 13 in JEV-ellingtonf The decision dn many of these has been given against us, but In others we have won, such as double time for meal hours, .extra rate tor trimming coal which comes into torce on July 16, and trimming coke ~%t Gisborne. WET WEATHER CLAUSE. This was one of the most valuable clauses in the old agreement, and although the Court has modified it to some extent there is some good in it yet, if taken advantage of. We find, however, that oilskins and sea hoots have taken the place of the ballot paper—in short, the ballot ia rapidly booming a thing of the past. This is what the "Evening Post" thinks of it (I read from their report):— "At one time the watersiders had a diftoet aversion to working in the rain, especially on public, holidays. An employer of waterside labour informed a 'Post' reporter to-day that on Kind's Birthday a number of water-