Watersiders Dismissed

Northern Advocate, 14 January 1948, Page 5

Watersiders Dismissed

WELLINGTON, Wed. (P.A.)—Between lOC and 120 watersiders were dismissed from their jobs on overseas ships in Wellington yesterday on the ground that they left work before finishing time. The dismissals involve three ships, the Empire Star, the Glenpark and the Ottawa Valley. The Wellington branch of the Waterside Workers’ Union will consider today what action it will take. If the ships are declared “black," then neither union nor non-union labour will be available, and their sailing will be indefinitely delayed. 10 MINUTES EARLY Action was taken by the employers late yesterday afternoon. Between 40 and 50 men working on the Glenpark at Aotea Quay were reported to have left their jobs at 4.30 p.m., 10 minutes before the correct finishing time. A similar breach was alleged against gangs on the Empire Star, totalling between 60 and 70 men. and against one gang working on the Ottawa Valley of between 10 and 12 men. A decision was reached late last year by the Port Committee restricting spelling on the waterfront to the half-bjour “smoko” periods in the morning and afternoon. Union officials are stated to have favoured the elimination of abuses of spelling. WARNINGS UNHEEDED Since then, just before and since the holidays, the employers have issued warnings that if these abuses continued the men would be dismissed from their jobs and stood down in terms of the Port Committee's decision.

These warnings have gone unheeded by many, according to the employers, and some men are stated to have left their jobs at 11 o’clock In the morning. It was claimed that on one of the vessels concerned yesterday the men met and decided to finish early. When the men were dismissed from the Glenpark they refused to close the hatches, and it is reported that the seamen also refused to carry out this work.

A stopwork meeting of the union is set down for Thursday, but it is likely that one will be called today to consider the policy on yesterday’s large-scale dismissals. DISPUTE SPREADS .There was no settlement of the waterfront dispute today, and two of the ships were idle while others are short of labour. In addition to the ships affected the Rimutaka and Rakaia and the City, of Dieppe were affected this morning. When shipping companies sought labour to; replace the dismissed men, members of the Watersiders’ Union refused to accept employment in place of those men an'd, in addition, are stated to have instructed non-union labour to refuse work on the ships concerned.

The Wellington Port Committee met to consider the dispute that arose following the dismissals, but could reach no agreement and the dispute will now go before the Waterfront Industry Commission.