STRIKE ON TRAWLERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20312, 20 July 1929, Page 10

STRIKE ON TRAWLERS.

MEN STILL REFUSE WORK.! THE SERF! B SENT TO SEA. NON-UNION LABOUR ENGAGED. NEGOTIATIONS TO CONTINUE. As no settlement was reached yesterday in t!ie dispute between Sanford, Limited, and the crews of the trawlers James Cosgrove and Serfib, the employers decided to send the Serfib to sea with non-union labour. The vessel left Auckland shortly after five o'clock last evening, the original crew having been paid off on Thursday when the trouble arose. As further negotiations between the parties are pending, the employers have not yet definitely decided to man the James Cosgrove with non-union labour, but they will do so if an early agreement is not reached. The general manager of Sanford, Limited, Mr. A. W. Brockie, had made all arrangements on Thursday evening to send tho James Cosgrove to sea with non-union labour, but this was abandoned at the request of the conciliation commissioner, Mr. P. Hally, who offered to hold a conference with tho men. He met representatives of the union yesterday morning, but they persisted in their demand for 36 hours' shore leave every week, instead of 24 hours with 36 hours every fourth week as at present. They rejected an offer from the employers of 24 and 36 hours on alternate weeks. Mr. Hally then met representatives of the employers, and it was after this conference that Mr. Brockie decided to send the Serfib to sea manned by non-unionists. Conference This Morning. At present it would appear that a deadlock has arisen, but Mr. Ilally has arranged a conference between the two parties to be held at 10.30 this morning. Mr. Brockie says the employers will renew their offer of moro shore leave and is hopeful that a settlement will be reached. '"The men said definitely yesterday that we would be unablo to obtain nonunion labour," Mr. Brockie said. We have given them our answer in this respect, and I repeat that we would not have had the slightest difficulty in sending away the James Cosgrove as well. However, we refrained from doing so in order that we might see the outcome of the conference arranged by Mr. Hally. Mr. Brockie added that four non-union men had joined the crew of the Serfib. In addition there was the captain, two mates, both of whom held masters' certificates, two engineers and a cook. The Serfib was sent over to the company s hulk at Chelsea yesterday afternoon to coal and the non-union crew and the stores for the voyage were later shipped in the stream before the Serfib left port. "Keen as Mustard." "The new men should be quite equal to the work," Mr. Brockie said. "They are as keen as mustard and there are plenty more like them. One man told me that he had been out of work for months. He had a wife and four children to support, and in such a case would not care twopence for labour principles. He wanted to earn money to buy them food. "I "am satisfied that the majority of the men do not want to strike." Mr. Brockie said. "The present position is the work of two or three agitators. The others would have been quite satisfied to accept tho terms we offered, and officials of their own union told them they would have no chance of getting their demands granted by the Arbitration Court. We were forced to employ non-union labour on the Serfib by the action of the men, and, although we are prepared to take tho same steps on all the other trawlers, we are still hopeful that the necessity will not arise. It is a bad time of the year for any men to be out of work. ' Labour Department Inquiries. Tentative inquiries into the position have been made by officers of tho Labour Department, but it is not yet known whether any action will be taken against the strikers. Tho Serfib is expected to return to Auckland after trawling toward the end of next week. If tho dispute continues, the James Cosgrove will bo sent to sea early next week with non-union labour, and it is expected the same course will be followed with tho Humphrey, which is due back at Auckland on Monday, and the Thomas Currell, the west coast trawler, which is scheduled to return to Onehunga from the coast on Tuesday.