Canadian Ship 'Black'

Northern Advocate, 15 July 1949, Page 7

Canadian Ship 'Black'

AUCKLAND, Fri. (Sp.) The national executive of the Waterside Workers’ Union has declared black the Canadian steamer Ottawa Valley, which is at anchor in the stream. It will not be worked when it berths next week. The steamer is manned by members of the Seafarers’ International Union, which has provided crews for ships boycotted by the Canadian Seamen’s Union. A cable from the president of the Canadian Seamen’s Union was followed by the move to ban the ship. The Transport Workers’ Federation’s Dominion executive has passed a resolution labelling the ship black. It has recommended all its affiliations to support the waterside workers and harbour board employees in any action they might take over the Ottawa Valley. MEMBERSHIP DWINDLES The cablegram from the president of the Canadian Seamen’s Union stated that the steamer left Montreal only after 64 seamen had been arrested, and he appealed to New Zealahd watersiders to continue their solidarity by refusing to touch the black ship. The secretary of the Transport Workers’ Federation (Mr A. E. Andrews) said the matter had been referred to the Federation of Labour and will be discussed with the Government.

He added that the Seafarers’ International Union had been established with the express purpose of breaking the Canadian strike.

A representative of the Montreal-Australia-New Zealand Line, owners of the Ottawa Valley, said in Wellington yesterday that advice from Canada showed that, before the strike, the membership of the Canadian Seamen’s Union was approximately 4000, but was now only a few hundred. Immediately before the strike, the Seamen’s International Union had 400 members, but it how had 3800.