WATERSIDE WORKERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 22 May 1940, Page 2

WATERSIDE WORKERS

RATE PAID FOR WORK IN EMERGENCY QUESTION ASKED IN DUNEDIN [United Press Association] At what price does New Zealand get the benefit of the co-operation of waterside workers in the national war effort for which they have lately been warmly praised by the Government? This question was raised at a meeting of the council of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce by Mr J. S. Skinner, who said that whatever men on the waterfront to assist in the speedy dispatch of transports or other vessels in the emergency, they were more than well paid for it. The speaker said it was reported that for work done in connection with the departure of the first echelon in January after midnight and on Sunday men were paid 10s 8d an hour, and in the event of that figure being incorrect, he challenged the Prime Minister to tell the country what rate was paid. “We have heard a lot about how much the watersiders have done, to assist the country in its war effort,” said Mr Skinner, “but not quite so much is said about the amount they are paid for it. Ordinary time on the wharves is paid for at the rate of 2s M an hour, and time and a half at 4s an hour should work continue between the hours of 10 p.m. and midnight double time at the rate of 5s 4d an hour must be paid. “I ask you now to consider the position of the patriotic waterside workers who worked through Saturday night and Sunday to get the first echelon away and received the grateful thanks of the Government for it. “But there is still one more fact to be remembered. There is no provision in the award for work after midnight or on Sundays, so that these men Could probably ask anything they liked. Actually, I am informed that they were paid double time doubled, which is 10s 8d an hour. I cannot guarantee that figure, but if the Prime Minister wishes to deny it, let him tell the country the exact amount that was paid for those periods.” The situation was intolerable, Mr Skinner added, and should not be permitted in such fateful days as the present He was prepared to say that in any case of emergency the Chamber of Commerce could find sufficient men at any time to work boats on Saturday afternoons and Sundays for nothing as a war effort, and if the chamber could not do it, he was willing himself to guarantee 50 men for such a purpose, whenever they were needed. DENIAL THAT SHIP WAS LOADED ON SUNDAY In his broadcast speech from Wellington last Sunday, the Prime Minister paid a tribute to Lyttelton transport workers who, he said, had loaded an j overseas liner on a recent Saturday and I Sunday, it being realised it was essen- ! tial war work. This statement was given a denial! by those interested at Lyttelton, says a ! Christchurch paper, which adds: If the Prime Minister was referring j to an overseas vessel which was at Lyt- j telton last Saturday week, and for which a request was made by the company for overtime to be worked on Saturday and Sunday, his statement was incorrect. An appeal was made to the local waterside union for the men to work overtime during Saturday night and Sunday morning. The union executive referred the matter to Wellington through the emergency committee set up some time ago to deal with such cases. The committee informed the union that it had received no request from the Government or any other source concerning the urgency of the! work, and consequently no overtime j was worked. The vessel had to remain I in port over the weekend. The secretary of the union said in an \ interview that the trouble appeared to; be that the right source was not ap- j proached in Wellington by the repre- I sentatives of the vessel.