WATERFRONT TROUBLE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10852, 18 March 1921, Page 5

WATERFRONT TROUBLE

MEN STOP BEFORE WHISTLE

RESUME WORK ON SECRETARY’S ADVICE. ABSENTEES LOSE JOBS. There was more trouble on the waterfront yesterday arising out of tlio question whether the waterside workers shall have the right to cease work before the Harbour Board’s steam whistle sounds.

The Union Steam Ship Company’s steamer Komata was discharging coal at the King’s wharf, and at ten minutes to noon tho 110 coal workers engaged at the vessel ceased operations instead of continuing till five minutes to 1- o’clock, when the whistle is sounded. The men had previously been warned that anyone wlio knocked off work before tho proper time would have half an hour’s wages deducted. It had been pointed out that the men were paid a full half an hour’s wages if they worked only one minute of that half hour, and it was obvious that the rule should hold good if they censed work before the whistle was blown.

When the wnteraiders returned to the Komain at 1 p.m.’ they were informed that they had lost half an hour’s pay through ceasing work before the right time. They thereupon refused to resume work and sat around the vessel and on the -wharf stringers. The secretary of the Waterside Workers’ Union, Mr J. G. Bruce, was communicated with, and he arrived on the scene about 2 p.m. He addressed the men, advising them to turn to, and the matter of the deduction of half an hour’s wages would be referred to tho disputes committee. In the meanwhile about 18 men had strayed away or gone home, but the others, acting on the advice of their union secretary, resumed work, after some discussion, at 3.30 p.m. There were then only nine gangs instead of eleven. By leaving the job eighteen missing men automatically discharged themselves and fTesh engagements will be made to-day. The hitch resulted in a loss for the Komata of about 2J hours in actual time and further loss through working with two gangs short.