WATERFRONT UNREST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18947, 19 February 1925, Page 6

WATERFRONT UNREST.

The threat of trouble on the waterfront, which has now shifted to Wel- | lington, is in a stage when hope and apprehension seem to have equal claims. There will predominate, however, the hope that the men do not intend adopting an attitude bringing real trouble. It is a profitless proceeding, as the past has often demonstrated. For, even where small increases in wages have been gained in this manner, the workers in the aggregate have been much the poorer as a result of their struggles. In this instance, if a feeling of grievance exists, there are surely other and more constitutional means of seeking redress. So far as can tfe determined in the absence of any statement—for none has yet been made—the motive of the present action is resentment because so small an increase was granted recently by the Arbitration Court. If the waterside workers are not satislied need they resort to the extreme and unreasonable step of refusing to work vessels when, so far as is known, they have not made any effort to place their grievances before the employers 1 It is not a question affecting only employer and worker on the waterfront. Community interest is involved, for the expeditious loading of produce for export is threatened. There should be sufficient appreciation of this factor to cause every avenue for peaceful and constitutional removal of the difficulty to be explored. The initiative must come from the workers. It is not too late for them to take fresh thought. Why not endeavour to meet their employers in conference? Surely if they are prepared to refuse work, they feel they have a case to present. It is their duty as reasonable men to try all other means rather than begin to make ferooMo oft. #».§ .wsteiiroali