AMONG THE UNIONS

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

AMONG THE UNIONS

MARINE REGULATIONS,

side workers toiled air day in the pouring rain. 'This is the~ firfit. time for years tjiey have •done such a thing;' he remarked." Just as they discover your weakness, they take advantage of it,. So they will on every clause unless you. stand as one man. for conditions which took years of fightingand.'sacrifice to win. The present, clause still affords ample protection,if operated; judiciously. ' , 1

Members will remember that as a. result of many serious accidents on the different waterfronts we were [ successful in getting the Government [ to set up an inquiry to deal with'this ' matter in-1916. The" findings were \ embodied in the Marine Regulations, Which have the force of law to-day. I am sorry to say, however, that- al- ' though they have the law on their side, many of our members do not observe these regulations. .1 frequently find on my visits to vessels, when working', a gang at work with the beams unbolted; yet there are provisions in the regulations to have them bolted, lashed and unshipped I also find the regulation re shipping beams and fore and abafters is not' observed. Although the accidents' were considerably rediiced before the years 1916 to 1921, they are now going up again. This is largely due, of course, to a system of speeding up and carelessness on the part of some of our members. The largest number' of accidents that have happened lately have resulted from the following causes: IN THE COAL: Bullropemen landing baskets on shovellers below; shovellers filling the haskets too full, with the result that lumps •fall on the men below. CARGO MEN: Big slings, packages falling out of slings, winches coming out of gear, bar iron and timber falling out of slings. HARBOUR BOARD: Receiving big slings, such as at the s.s. Tre- ; denneck, 17 bags ot nails on a tray, | s.s. Australand, 18 bags on tray, and 18 cwt. coils of wire in a sling. I would like members to realise that whether we are employed, on ship or on wharf, we are all'members of one union, and we should study each other to a greater extent than we do. I notice that some of the ladders leading into the ships' holds are in a bad state, as a result of the grabs bumping against them. In your own interest you should report to the office when you notice any defect in these ladders, or other gear. We have a Gear" Inspector appointed as the result of that inquiry, Mr. L. Fenton, who is doing good work, but unless our members give him every assistance and information we cannot expect their lives to be properly protected. One glaring instance is that of the hulk Blaekwall. Through the guys being let go, the flying derrick swung beyond its limits, with the result that the gooseneck was cracked, which caused additional danger to-the, men employed. Cases such as this should be reported. Members should become conversant with the Marine Regulations, as the onus is on them as well as the employers. It is pleasing to note that since we have had an inspector appointed from our ranks, the hulks have had a thorough overhauling, for during this last three years no less than 24 uprights have been condemned, 11 tram spars, 12 derricks, and 4 masts. That will give you a fair, indication of the risks the members run every time they go under defective gear. My advice again is to report all defect- • ive gear, as life is valuable, and we only have one. PROPAGANDA OF SCANDAL. This is a tactic used by some members to cover up their own shortcomings, or to direct attention of members to the red herring trail, and : It is very noticeable immediately before elections when members wish to ' get into office, although I am convinced that the great bulk of our membei'3 do not support such tac- i ■tics. However, this has a damaging ' effect on the union. What can we think of men who try to discredit their union before the boss on the job, who interview the employer in his office, or a member of the legal 'fraternity, and divulge the union's internal business? One sets up a deputation to Mr. Rowley, the Secretary of Labour, and lays a complaint against the officers and the executive, and tells the employers through-' the press that watersiders are prepared to work all night and have no stopwork meetings. All (this, men, is the, antithesis of unionism, and is really a reflection on all the members. Lower your status as men, cause, and you will cut the ground from the feet of your representatives when they are fighting for wages and conditions. Often has the boss told .

mc that but for the union the men would do anything they were asked, and this is the state of affairs the employers want to bring about. Members by this personal abuse, this insidious propaganda, are playing into their hands. So sink your differences, elect your officers and executive toy a majority vote, and stand loyally by all resolutions. REPRESENTATION ON HARBOUR BOARD. You wiil remember that the retiring executive of 1922 decided that a member from the union should contest a seat on the Wellington Harbour : Board. That question was brought up at the Annual Conference of the Waterside Workers' Federation, and they decided likewise, and later on you selected mc for the job. I was instructed to work in conjunction with the N.Z. Labour Party. I subr mitted my name to the selection ballot and was selected by that body, and, as instructed, I contested the position, but was not successful, my poll being 8922 votes. A few years ago this vote would easily have elected mc, but in the meantime the employers have united as an anti-Labour Party, and they succeeded in electing their full ticket. This leaves you" without a voice on the Harbour Board at the present time." As the Harbour Board employs 300 of our members And is party to the award, it is sential that you should have a voice on it. The Harbour Board is a public body but is now being used by the shipping interests to break down your conditions and lower your standard of living. CENTRALISED CONTROL OF LABOUR. This was a scheme brought in at the commencement of this year, and being new, it had to face all the prejudices which manifest themselves against anything original. The scheme was given two months' trial and was then voted out by our members. I regret it was voted out before it was given a fair trial, and it was not tested as it should have been. But as you have voted it out, we must abide by the majority. I have received from the Freemantle W r atersiders' Union an application for a copy of the scheme, because in that port there is a big controversy about the distribution of work. This of course applies to every port where the casual system prevails. I hope that though the Wellington scheme was turned down it will not be our last word, and I know you are not satisfied to remain where you are. I therefore recommend the setting up of a committee of one working member from each section to thoroughly go into the problem of the equalisation of employment and report. As requested by a member of our Harbour Board men I discussed the matter of Government men doing casual men's work with Messrs. Becker, Boon and Marchbank, and I stressed the fact that this was most unfair. I also pointed out that by carrying such' a large staff the Harbour Board was ! further casualising our members. As many of our members are quite competent to do tallying work and supervising, they should be employed in preference to increasing the Government staff. I also urged that the staff should be recruited from the casual men. Mr. Marchbank appeared to be sympathetic and said the staff was already reduced somewhat and as vacancies occur they are not to he filled. It may- be necessary to send another deputation to the Board to register our protest against the many abuses. IMMEDIATELY NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS. These are required as follows*. —(1) The establishment of lockers in the Maori Pah for the H.B. men to relieve the congestion. Many of our members nave been endeavouring for some considerable -time to secure a locker. (2) The supply by the Harbour Board of at least another 100 forms, so that our members can sit down during the meetings. •(3) Labour not to be told off until ten minutes to eight, so as to give suburban members who come in by train or tram a chance of being present at the first call. (4) Application to be made to the Arbitration Court to amend the present award by ' deleting the words "and. below hatches" in Clause 3, paragraph C, and make provision*"so as oil rates will apply to men on deck, on wharves, and to exclude H.B. men. (5) I have filed a dispute with the H.B. in connection with the Whahana and Whangaratta working on July ?. These men were only paid ordinary rates for standing by after 6 p.m. Our contention is that they arc PTiHitlAd to overtime.

(6) The Disputes Committee has put forward the contention that H.B. men are to the special rate of 2d. over general cargo while working cement. Mrhe H.B. would; not agree to this contention." so it" has been referred to the National Disputes Committee.'•-■..:lf we are not successful there we will take it to the Court. OUR RESTAURANT. As the result of overcrowding, high prices, and f low standard of baeals generally, the H. 8., in response to our request for a restaurant on the waterfront/fitted out the present kitchen two years ■ ago. The Board stated at" the time that it would not build an up-to-date place for the purpose unless the patronage of our members was such as warranted the expenditure. That patronage has now been given, I think, because the present facilities-and equipment are not nearly sufficient to cope with the customers. We should therefore approach the Board to erect another storey on the shed at the end of the present building, fit it out properly, and set is aside a«s a watersiders' resI taurant. lam pleased to report that | Mr. and Mrs. Mixey, who are now in | charge, are giving general satisfaction, as proved by the rush on the establishment. - ' UNION LIABILITIES. You will see in the balance sheet the union's liabilities, especially the item in connection with Gee, Gould, Tilly, and Kavanagh. At the annual conference of .the Watersiders' Federation I intend to bring the payment of that account'forward with a view to meeting it from the industrial defence fund. I no doubt delegates will agree to this. health Department. Mi*. Frew has carried out his work well, it being his duty to visit oversea vessels and to take the temperatures of all passengers and crews on the intercolonial ships. During the recent plague outbreak in Australia, Mr. Frew was in constant touch with the officers of the union, and we were ready for any emergency for the protection of our members and the public generally. I might say that if sickness has developed on the ships, removals by the inspector have been orderea to tiie iiuajjiuu «v.a P i*~~*>~ proper attention can be fjiven. It Is generally recognised that since the appointment of our own inspector the conditions on deck and below hatches where our men have to work have been vastly improved from a sanitary point of view. We still have a few complaints regarding the offensive smell from ships' holds, and the greater number of these result from holds being used as urinals. Until this ceases it will be impossible to entirely eradicate the harmful smells and make the place fit for men to work in. This trouble, lam glad to say, is rapidly diminishing as the years go by. FOOTBALL AND SOCIAL SIDE. We all feel proud of our Soccer team, upon whose success we congratulate the players. Let us give them all the encouragement we can, and urge the team to keep the play-, ers.and management committee entirely confined to watersiders, and not allow expediency to over-ride common sense. We must remember always the experiences of § our band. My very best wishes go with the Soccer team. . I have not received a report from the Library Committee this year but I know they are badly in of a stock of new books, as many of our members read ail that is worth reading. The band as you know is still impounded at Dunedin. On its release, however, which will be any 'day now, I think a special meeting of the union should be called and a committee set up to meet other unions in order to work out a scheme for the formation of a Union working-class. band.

I would again remind you that the union has an arrangement with Dr. Faulke and Dr. McEvedy to treat our members right through illnesses resulting from accidents whilst at work for the £1 the company is responsible for, hut if members attend other doctors they cannot hold the union responsible for the-payment. The union has also an agreement with Mr. Perrett, the chemist, for a discount of 10 per cent, on all medicine purchased. Advertised in the case are also reductions on boots and dentistry. BENEFIT CLUB. This is a branch of our activities which we have not been very successful in running, although the H.B. men and coal section have their clubs andrun them with success. They do not apply to all the members. The offi-

cors of your Federation wore instruct-"* led to prepare a benefit soheme ••qefa ■ ting out the- details,- to'.lbe' presented (to next Conference, which they have done, and possibly in the early part of next year it will be presented for . your approval or otherwise. PREFERENTIAL VOTING. This system of voting has alreiiaf : '% been given two trials by the: union • and has proved most successful* but ■ o it ; is not very well understood, by some of the members yet. If memhers would read the rules as to h'bvsr ; to mark their ballot papers' they'•-*'• would be in a much better position/ ; when they visit the booths. I am go" - ing to, print instructions on this sys- -■■■ tern.and demonstrate the method, and ■■;■ they will be posted up before the elec- : tion takes place. : ;- CONCLUSION. I have "been associated with this union for about 21 years, and I must say in conclusion that the past year has been the hardest the union has passed through in ihy experience. We' have been attacked from all quarters, the entire purpose being to weaken, the organisation and smash down wages and conditions. I wish 'to ' thank my fellow-officers, the executive, and the rank and file of the mem- " bership for the advice and assistance they have given mc, and to say that only with their co-operation has it been possible to carry on. Members often differ with mc, and I with them, ' •but our differences, so long as they are not personal and dishonest,' are an evidence of life which contributes to the development of the tion. I appeal to all the members to' unite on the essential things, to cooperate their forces, and face the; employers with a united front, and to fight for better wages and conditions. In this way we will prepare ourselves for a struggle for the full product of our labour and the best interests of all we represent.