Wanganella Deadlock

Northern Advocate, 9 April 1947, Page 5

Wanganella Deadlock

(P.A.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Exception to various contentions made in the letter sent by the Wanganella repair contractors. William Cable and Co., Ltd., to the Minister of Labour (Mr McLagan) is taken by a sub-committee appointed by the interested unions in a statement issued yesterday. In particular the sub-committee objects to the statement by the employers that “frankly, the only explanation we can conceive of for the action of the unions concerned is that, having got the dock completely lied up, they intend to hold out for the highest figure they can get.” “We emphatically deny any suggestion of an attempt to exploit the situation,” said the statement by the subcommittee, which consists of the secretary of the Wellington Boilermakers’ Union (Mr P. E. Warner), the secre tary of the Wellington Engineers’ Union (Mr C. G. Caswell), and the national secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union (Mr T. Hill). “The statement that our actions have been dictated by the situation in which the Wanganella has been placed is without foundation.” ATTITUDE OF UNIONS

The statement said the unions welcomed the company’s statement that it is eager to have work resumed, but claimed that after work had ceased on February 20 there were delays before the employers interested themselves sufficiently to meet the unions. It was claimed that when negotiations were resumed on March 21 after previous meetings had failed to yield an agreement tne employers adopted a completely negative attitude and ‘‘used the ludicrous argument that any agreement on Wanganella wage rates would have immediate repercussions on wages levels throughout the country.

“We tried to point out to the employers that the ship was separate from any general wage issue. That always has been and is the attitude of the unions.

“We have exhausted all avenues in our endeavours to settle this dispute,” continued the statement. “The employers have placed great stress on the claim for additional payments on the Wanganella work, but we assert we were not adamant on any figure during the negotiations.

“The unions concerned desire the Wanganella work to be resumed, but not on the employers’ terms, which, in this instance, are the minimum award rates. POLITICAL MOTIVE

“We are of the opinion that the statement by the employers was motivated by political purposes. “An endeavour is being made to force the Government to take whatever action it considers necessary to compel the unionists to resume work on the Wanganella.” It was contended that the employers should still negotiate in the dispute and not pass the responsibility to the Government.

When the employers were prepared to negotiate on the basis of conciliation, the prospects of obtaining a satisfactory agreement would be much brighter.

At no time had the unions refused to meet the employers.

The sub-committee said it had been unable to obtain any information about what extra rates the employers would obtain from their contract. Moreover, conditions of work such as those existing on the Wanganella had no provisions in current awards.

The conditions were such that a disputes committee could properly settle them.