WHARF LABOURERS’ DISPUTE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5007, 3 July 1903, Page 6

WHARF LABOURERS’ DISPUTE

REFEREED TO ARBITRATION COURT. At the instance of the employers the dispute’ between the Wellington Wharf Labourers’ Industrial Union, and the local shipping firms, which was to have com© before the Board of Conciliation on the 7th inst., has been referred direct to the Arbitration Court. The employers cited are the Union, Steam Ship Company, Ltd.. Wellington- Harbour Board, Huddart. Parker and Co., Ltd., the Blackball Coal Company, Ltd., Levin and Co., Ltd. Johnston and Co., W. and G. Turnbull and Co., Wellington Steam Packet Company. Gaunaway and~Co„ Westport Coal Company, Ltd.. Wellington Steam retry Company, Ltd., Shaw, Savill and Co., Ltd., the New-Zealand Shipping Company. Ltd.. John Mill and Co., Matthew Segrief, William Mulhamo, David Long, the Gear Meat Company. Ltd., and the Tyser Line. Certain conditions of labour have been mutually agreed upon between the. employers and the union, and the points still l in dispute are a claim of Is 3d per hour for ordinary time and 2s per hour for oyertime in the case of the Harbour Board. The general claims put forward by the men in the matter of wages had relation chiefly to discharging coal. Remuneration at the rate of Is Gd per hour ordinary time is claimed for men engaged in different capacities in connection with this work except those engaged in chipping, cleaning. scrubbing and painting the interiors of vessels, for whom only Is 3d per hour ordinary time is claimed and 2s per hour overtime. In the case of the other classes 2s 3d per hour overtime is sought for all classes, except those engaged trimming in ships’, bunkers on Home-going and foreign steamers, for whom 2s 6d per hour is sought. The other points in dispute have reference to demands for payment of overtime for work done on New Year’s Day. Anniversary Day, Easter Monday, the King’s Birthday. Tobour Day. Boxing Day and Prince of Wales’s Birthday, to payment at the rate of double time on all Sundays. Christmas Dav and_ Good Priday and preference to unionists.