Canadian Seamen Warned Their Strike is Illegal

Northern Advocate, 6 May 1949, Page 6

Canadian Seamen Warned Their Strike is Illegal

WELLINGTON, Fri. (P.A.). —The crew of the Canadian ship Tridale refused the captain’s order yesterday to take the ship to sea. The men were then notified that all shore leave was stopped, but seven of the crew walked off the ship.

The master of the Tridale, Captain H. B. Hunt, said he had received from Canada a copy of the agreement the Canadian east coast deep-sea shiping operators had signed with the Seafarers’ International'Union, which has put crews aboard some of the strikebound ships. He said the agreement was the same as the old Canadian Seamen’s Union agreement,"under which the Tridale’s men .were working before they went on” strike. READ TO CREW The few minor variations did not affect their wages or general working conditions, and some of the clauses were advantageous to the men. The office of the High Commissioner for Canada advises that a joint statement issued op Tuesday by the Canadian Minister of Transport and Labour was yesterday verbally brought to the attention of the seamen of the Tridale by a member of the High Commissioner's staff. The statement called the attention of seamen concerned to the fact that strikes at sea or in ports,abroad in disobedience of the lawful orders of the masters were in violation of the Canada Shipping Act. MUST COMPLETE VOYAGE For the protection of seamen themselves, the act required that no seaman shall be discharged in a port abroad without the approval of the proper authority and until the necessary provision ha 4 been made for his repatriation to Canada.-. , The law provided that a voyage must fee completed " and the ship and cargo pi-iced iri security at her terminal port in Canada before -members c*f her crew could-engage in a-lawful strike. “The law of Canada is now being violated by members of the Canadian Seamen’s Union taking part in strikes

aboard Canadian ships in ports broad,” says the statement. \ ‘'Tire Canadian Seamen’s Union has complied with the provisions of the Industrial Relations and Disputes Investigations Act before calling the strike.

15 VESSELS INVOLVED “However, this does not permit seamen to violate the provisions of the Canada Shipping Act, which requires every seaman to obey the lawful orders of the master, nor does it justify the action of the leaders of the union in calling seamen out on strikes on ships in ports abroad or in counselling seamen to disobey the lawful orders of a master. “At the present time there are- approximately 90 ships which sail out of Atlantic ports. Of this number some 15 are tied up by illegal strikes in ports abroad. Crews by going on strike arc violating the law of Canada and are subject to'the penalties provided by the law.”