Close Works Down Or Reduce Output

Northern Advocate, 19 October 1949, Page 5

Close Works Down Or Reduce Output

AL i ERNA i IVES i-OR FOR i LAND

ANY possibility of a settlement of the Portland dispute was made more remote last night when 70 members of the Portland Cement Workers’ Union resolved not to undertake any duties which would counter their decision to work a 40-hour week. Their decision means that workers cannot now be switched from one job to another, a practice which would enable production to be maintained at a fairly high level, notwithstanding the fact that overtime would not be worked. Two things can now happen. Production will be reduced to less than half, or the works will shut down completely.

It is believed that, the Minister o£| Labour (Mr McLagan) is following the course of the dispute, and it is thought possible that he may take some action. The Minister could appoint a tribunal to investigate the dispute under the Strikes and Lockout Emergency Regulations, 1939, or he could refer the dispute to the Arbitration Court which will already have received- notification from the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr C. L. Hunter), who conducted a three-day hearing of the workers’ claims for a new award at Whangarei last week. The works manager of Wilson’s (N.Z.) Portland Cement Ltd. (Mr E. Leese) said this morning that he had learned of the decision reached at

'peratures, such a scheme would be full of difficulties. Damage to plant could be far-reach-ing with such frequent dropping and lighting up. Even if it was found practicable, it would result in cement production bei ing more than halved, Mr Leese concluded. Other inquiries pursued this morning revealed that the special meeting of the union last night was called as a result of an occurrence at the works on Monday evening. NO SWITCHING OF JOBS. Apparently one of - the conveyor belts, laden with rock, collapsed in a pit below part of the plant. Men were taken from a roils mill,

the union’s special meeting last night. “Their resolution will make it impossible for us to maintain continuous production, and it leaves us with two alternatives,” he said. FIVE-DAY WEEK “The first is to try to operate the plant on a five-day week, closing down each Friday and lighting the kilns up again on Monday. “The second alternative is to close the plant down, and this would mean Q complete cessation of production.” Mr Leese added that the proposal to close the plant down on Fridays and light up again on Mondays was an expedient never before practiced by cement works. Owing to the high operating tern-

a cement mill and another department of the works to clear the pit and dig out the machinery which was partly buried by the fall. They carried out the work, which, it is stated, would normally have been undertaken by other men who would have received overtime for it. The resolution carried, without dissent. at last night's meeting was to the effect that the unionists would not carry out any work that another worker, under normal circumstances, would be doing. It was stated this morning that the resolution, in effect, prevents any diversion from one job to another, if such a diversion counters the unionists’ decision not to work overtime. From a reliable source it was gleaned that it might have been possible for full production to be continued at the works if the management had been able to arrange a switching of jobs. Last night’s decision by the union has removed the possibility of production continuing at anything like the normal volume. WATERFRONT WORK

Waterfront work at Portland and Whangarei continues to be influenced by the cement workers’ dispute, and the supply of labour for shipping at the Town Wharf and Portland is likely to cause some problems in the near future. Yesterday it was learned that the new vessel Kaitoke, with gypsum for Portland was to be held up for a day or so until the collier Karepo was cleared. It is now learned that the Kaitoke sailed today for Portland, and if the watersiders finish the Karepo tonight, they will commence work on the Kaitoke tomorrow morning. Seventy men wifl be needed to work the Kaitoke at Portland and the 242ton Kapiti at the Town Wharf on Friday. Thirty members of the watersiders’ union will be available, but about 40 more non-unionists will be needed. Another collier is expected at Portland as soon as the Kaitoke has discharged her 1200 tons of gypsum, and it is likely that extra labour will be needed again early next week so that coastal shipping will not be held up at the Town Wharf.