WATERFRONT TROUBLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21782, 23 April 1934, Page 10

WATERFRONT TROUBLE

TACTICS AT LYTTELTON MORE DELAYS CAUSED MEN REFUSE OVERTIME [bv telegraph—press association] CIIRISTCHURCH, Sunday The refusal of watcrsido workers to work overtime on some of the ships in port yesterday afternoon caused two vessels to bo delayed over tho week-end, while tho Shaw, Savill and Albion Lino steamer Akaroa, which sailed for Port Chalmers, loft a. quantity of cargo, including 6000 cases of apples and .'3OOO carcases of meat which had to be returned to tho cool store and freezing works respectively.

Tho trouble yesterday followed on a series of disputes and hold-ups extending- over tho last two weeks. Tho men made no secret of the fact that these tactics had been used in an endeavour to force tho employers to restore tho former wago of 2s 4d an hour in place of the present wage of 2s. Yesterday the Waikouaiti, from which railway waterside workers refused to discharge coal unless stagings were erected, sailed for 131 ufl* and Sydney, taking with her 600 tons of coal which should have been discharged at Lyttclton. Overtime was accepted for all vessels except the Akaroa but in Bomo cases tho men refused to work the full afternoon.

It is alleged a go-slow policy was adopted by those working on the Port Wellington and the employers called off the men at four o'clock.

Tho largo amount of shipping in port caused a big demand for labour, all unionists and many non-unionists being employed.