TALLYMEN'S CLAIM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22949, 29 January 1938, Page 18

TALLYMEN'S CLAIM

CASE BEFORE COURT SHIPPING OFFICERS' DESIRE OPPOSITION BY UNION The right of shipping officers to do occasional tallying work on tho wharves ns in tho past was ono of the matters keenly contested when the Auckland tallymen's case came before the Second Court of Arbitration yesterday. Mr. Justice Hunter presided. Mr. H. J. Sheppard represented tho tallymen's union and Mr. H. J. Bishop appeared for tho employers. Terms for an award covering casual tallymen had already been agreed to in Conciliation Council, but the Court was asked to fix the terms an,d conditions for permanent tallymen. Mr. G. Renner asked leave to appear and make a statement on behalf of the New Zealand Shipping Officers' Union, of which ho is Wellington secretary. Mr. Sheppard objected and questioned whether the Officers' Union had any standing in the Court. They had never offered any objection to his union's proposals, ho said, or appeared in any of the proceedings. Shipping Clerks' Training Mr. Renner said he wished to make a statement in view of the Court's recent decision that permanent tallymen should be included in the award. Having been granted permission, Mr. Renner said his union felt very strongly over this matter. Clerical workers in the shipping union had in the past the privilege of undertaking tallying work when called on to do so. That was considered as part of the experience of a shipping clerk. The members of his union were still unanimously of opinion that they were prepared to trust the employers, because they realised their future was bound up with this work.

This union was a Dominion organisation, and everywhere except at Auckland permauent tally clerks were members of it. All his union asked was that shipping officers in Auckland should be allowed to do tally work as part of their training.

Mr. Sheppard said the Court decided last October that permanent or weekly tallymen should be included, and instructed the parties to confer again, but no progress was made. The employers wished to include a clause that "nothing in this award shall apply to permanent employees who, although not substanially employed as tallymen, aro occasionally put on to do tallying work." Clause Objected to The union took strong exception to that clauso, as being very open to abuse, said Mr. Sheppard. Mr. Bishop said the employers had wished to keep permanent tally clerks out of the award as they were in the position of engaging and controlling the casual men. Tho only port in New Zealand that had a union of casual and permanent tally clerks was Auckland. K. A. Belford, clerk in the head office of the Union Steam Ship Company, Wellington, said the employers desired to continue the right they had always had of employing their pursers to oeive cargo. That was part and parcel of a purser's training. His company had never abused this system, as suggested by Mr. Sheppard. The Court reserved its decision.