OVERTIME WORK REFUSED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21289, 16 September 1932, Page 10

OVERTIME WORK REFUSED

WATERSIDERS AT GISBORNE FORMER RATES DEMANDED [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] GISBORNE. Thursday Claiming that they should be paid for overtime at the rates which obtained before the cancellation of their award, the waterside workers engaged for the loading of the overseas liner Piako refused to work on last evening when offered overtime employment at time and a-half, based on the new rates operating provisionally throughout the Dominion. In consequence of the men's decision, the three gangs engaged for the Piako were brought ashore and no meat was handled. This morning the gangs returned to the Piako to work at the provisional rates of Is lid an hour, plus the usual premium for working frozen meat. The intention of the men to demand the old overtime rates was not known until four o'clock, when the usual intimation was made to the gangs that overtime would be worked on the vessel. When the demand for time and a-half, based on the old rates, plus the premium for working frozen meat, was made by the waterside workers, the hatches were off the refrigerated holds of the Piako and those of the barges, and everything was ready for a commencement of th>? afternoon's work.

No timo was lost by. the stevedoring agency in ordering the replacement of the hatches and the return of the workers to the shore, as it was felt that little would be gained by making a start with the transfer cf meat and butter in the lighters in the short period before the overtime rates would begin to operate. . The Piako did not reach the anchorage until shortly after three o'clock, and soon after dropping anchor she took alongside three barges which had been loaded yesterday morning in preparation for the day's work on the liner, while two other meat barges were ready loaded at the Haiti Wharf and a sixth' carried about three-quarters of a load of butter..