CARGO WORK REFUSED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21342, 17 November 1932, Page 10

CARGO WORK REFUSED

WATERSIDERS AT OPOTIKI

NON-UNION LABOUR ENGAGED

[['.? TIXEGHAI lI—OWN CORRESPONDENT] OPOTIKI, Wednesday

Members of the Opotiki Waterside Workers' Union refused to work the Northern Steamship Company's vessel Otimai this morning nnd non-unionists were engaged. The local manager of the Northern Company, Mr. Burrett, states that the waterside workers wore offered work as usual at 8 a.m. to discharge the Otimai. The union members refused to turn to, stating that there was not enough work for two gangs. Their demand was that one gang only should be engaged. Ihis was not conceded and non-unionists started work at 8.30.

To man the Otimai fully for discharge requires 21 men and there are only 14 members of the union available. The shipping company has endeavoured to avoid overtime as much as possible and this reduced the earnings of the unionists, which is considered the cause of the piesent trouble.

Tiie secretary o£ the union, Mr. J. Smith, states that the Otimai came to Opotiki to-day drawing 3ft. llin., which meant a small cargo. The mate of the ship said he wanted two gangs. Tho unionists, who had only one gang of 10 men, refused to work with two gangs as there was only two and a-half hours' discharging and three and a-half to four hours loading, which would make each man's earnings about 13s 8d for the day. It was stated that this boat had always been worked by one gang, but the agent of the shipping company is now employing unemployed labour.

Local unionists have had instructions from the watersiders' headquarters at Wellington not to work two gangs.