OWNERS REMAIN FIRM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19810, 3 December 1927, Page 13

OWNERS REMAIN FIRM.

"FIGHT TO A FINISH."

FREE LABOUR PROPOSAL.

QUESTION OF PROTECTION. FURTHER DISCUSSION TO-DAY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received December 2, 11.45 p.m.) A. and N.Z. MELBOURNE, Bee. 2. The wharves to-day presented a desolate appearance. With the exception of the loading of one Commonwealth Line steamer all work was at a standstill. The shipowners are awaiting advices from other inter-State ports before attempting to evolve a definite policy for the future. One of them declared to-day that thore was no chance of a compromise. The owners, he said, would fight to the finish. The shipowners held a conference today. They afterwards issued a statement in which they stated that their policy remained unchanged. It is understood that the owners, at their conference, discussed the question of free labour, and that they will consider the matter further to-morrow. The main point is they want a definite assurance of adequate protection if they establish a free-labour bureau. Mr. Mathers, chairman of the waterside workers' committee of management, when asked ; f his members would agree to work overtime* if the principle of one pick-ing-up time was conceded, said that was only one of two issues involved in the dispute. The question of preference to members of the federation was the other issue. Not until both were conceded would the watersiders work overtime, pending the hearing of their claim by the Arbitration Court. It is estimated that 20,000 men have been rendered idle in Victoria alone as a direct result of the strike. Unless a settlement is reached before Christmas many more thousands will be directly or indirectly affected. The drastic action taken by the owners in connection with the strike has caused a great sensation in trade union circles. The officials were unable to deal fully with the changed position and it was admitted that such a serious indus - trial deadlock was not expected when the trouble fust arose.

There was again a wholesale condemnation of the tactics of the waterside workers in having excluded all other union leaders from their consultations when the plan of campaign was being considered. Leading; officials state that they are at a loss to understand the position taken by the waterside workers. They express the view that there is an obligation oil the part of the union concerned to immediately consult representatives of other unions which would become involved, before direct action was introduced.

Pleas that the shipowners should meet the watersides in conference were again made by tbe secretary of the federation and the secretary of the Fort Phillip stevedores!.

HISTORY OF THE STRIKE

WORK AFTER 5 P.M. REFUSED. OVERTIME PAY FORFEITED. The Australian overtime waterside workers* strike took effect at 5 p.m. on November 21. The management committee of the Waterside Workers' Federation bad previously announced that it had decided to instruct its members not to work overtime—that is, after 5 p.m. This step was taken, it was stated, because jv conference between the federation and the Overseas Shipping Representatives' Association, recently held in Sydney, was unsuccessful. The overtime rate which the waterside workers have forfeited by their action is 4s 3d an hour. The rate for ordinary hours is 23 lid an hour. After the overtime strike had been in force for a few days the Overseas Shipping Representatives' Association and the Commonwealth Steamship Owners Association sent a joint letter to the Waterside Workers' Federation stating that from 8 a.m. on Wednesday, November 30, work would be offered to members of tho federation only on condition that all the terms of awards and agreements were observed, such terms including the working of overtime. On Wednesday morning the workers, in view of ♦be owners ultimatum, declined to start work. The Sydney workers agreed to start work that day, but. at 5 o'clock they declined to continue. On Thursday 'the two association? of owners issued a statement to the effect that in view of the failure of the workers to comply with agreements work on all steamers would cease that evening.