WORK RESUMED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23302, 22 March 1939, Page 14

WORK RESUMED

.WELLINGTON WHARVES SERIOUS CONGESTION SHIPS' SCHEDULES UPSET AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] WELLINGTON. Tuesday The hold-up on the Wellington waterfront, which began on Thursday with the adoption of a go-slow policy, leading to the dismissal of 830 men, ended to-day. Work was resumed soon after one o'clock this afternoon. Nearly 1000 members of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Waterside Workers Union packed the Tivoli Theatre this morning at a special stop-work meeting arranged by the Government in cooperation with the shipping companies. Many were unable to gain even standing room. Admission was by union ticket only and the press was excluded. .. The meeting lasted from 8 a.m. untu 11.30 a.m. It was decided that work should be resumed at one o'clock under normal conditions, and that officials of the New Zealand Union should open negotiations with the employers immediately for a new agreement.- Ihe speakers were the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, the Minister of Marine, the Hon. P. Eraser, the president of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Union, Mr. G. Flood, and the secretary, Mr. J. Roberts. Penalties Waived

At a mass meeting in. the union waiting room at 12.45 p.m. the men were told that the suspension penalties imposed on those who had been dismissed would be waived by the control board of the Waterside Labour Bureau. The manager of the Wellington Cooperative Waterside Labour Employment Association, Mr W. Bennett said later that after the Piako, Ra Doric Star, Karu and Foxton, the five vessels first concerned m the hold-up, had been manned, 1100 nien were required to man the rest of the vessels in port. Only about 400 union members were available. , . The port was slightly more crowded to-day than yesterday. There were five arrivals . this morning, the Matangi from Nelson, and the Wahine, \\aiana, Mataroa and Holmdale from Lyttelton. In all there were 47 ships in the harbour to-day.

Consequences oi Hold-up After discharging only passengers' luggage, mails and some fruit, the Awatea left Wellington last night for Auckland and Sydney, over-carrying her cargo. There were 13 overseas liners and a large number of coastal vessels with cargo to discharge and load to-day. Few of them have-definite sailing dates and most of the large ships will be considerably behind schedule by the time they get away from here. „ , , , . The port is badly congested and this is likefv to have serious consequences all over New Zealand. Storage space m many ports is likely to be taxed and the programme for the arrival of produce at home will be upset.

MINISTERS' APPEAL CONTINUITY OF WORK GO-OPERATION REQUIRED CONFIDENCE IN FUTURE [by telegraph—own correspondent] WELLINGTON. Tuesday An official statement made by the Ministers after the meeting of the Waterside Workers' Union this morning said that the .Ministers gave an outline of the Government's policy concerning any form of interference with work on the waterfront that would prove detrimental to the loading arid discharging of cargoes. They insisted that once an agreement was come to any dispute should be referred through constitutional channels to disputes committees.

The Ministers pointed out that the Government would, not protect men who would not do a reasonable day's work for the money received, and they were most emphatic that if the men declined to work they , could not expect and would not get the Government's backing. It was agreed by the workers themselves, the statement continued, that a small minority of their members were not playing the game. The Ministers appealed to those members to play the game and do a fair day's work. The Government would not hesitate to use its full powers in the protection of the interests of the country, including those of genuine trade unionism, which should and would co-operate with the Government in its work of social advancement.

Both Ministers were gratified with the excellent spirit displayed by the great majority of the men and they left the meeting confident that more efficient work and closer co-operation would prevail. They stated that they expected the same co-operation from shipowners. The resolution to resume normal working was carried almost unanimously. It was clear, said the > Ministers. that the predominant feeling was anxiety to co-operate with the Government in tho efficient working of the port and the despatch of commodities for the overseas market.

AWARD DELAY HISTORY OF NEGOTIATIONS STATEMENT FOR EMPLOYERS [by telegraph—owx correspondent] WELLINGTON. Tuesday Commenting on a statement regarding the cause of the hold-up of the Wellington waterfront, Mr. W. Bennett, secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Employers' Association, said that on June 30 last the association sent the Waterside Workers' Union proposals for a new agreement and gave the union a fortnight to reply. The association- received a reply on July 29, but as it was long overdue the association had by that time filed an application for the dispute to be heard by the Conciliation Council. Owing to various delays, for which the employers were not responsible, the council did not sit until October 18 at Auckland, afterward sitting at Napier, Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington, and completing at Wellington on December 8. The council arrived at a partial agreement only and recommendations to that effect to be sent to the clerk of awards were drafted and agreed to by the representatives of both sides and sent to the commissioner on December 13. Mr. Bennett said he received the official copy back on December. 24 for the signatures of the employers 11 assessors. These were duly affixed and the document was handed to the union on January 16. The document was finally received back from the commissioner on February 17, lacking the signature- of the union assessor. This was only obtained on February 22. The papers' were duly filed the same day. 47 days after being handed to the union. The Court would not be able to hear the dispute in Wellington at this sitting.