WATERFRONT DISPUTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19529, 11 July 1925, Page 7

WATERFRONT DISPUTES.

OPIHI TROUBLE SETTLED. KAWATTRI STILL HELD UP. Tho dispute which arose on Wednesday between the shipping employers and the waterside workers engaged to clear away coal from the bilges of tho cargo steamer Opihi was amicably settled yesterday morning. The altered demand for a flat rate of 6d additional (bringing the hourly payment to 2s 9J>d) was conceded under protest by the company. Work was resumed during tho morning by the Port Chalmers men engaged to handle the coal, and the Opihi sailed oarly this morning for New Plymouth and Westport, via ports. The secretary of tho Dunedin Waterside Workers’ Union (Mr W, Brown) said the demand was made because the bilges were full to tile ongineroom and stokehold plates of greasy bilge-water saturated coal, and because the work was made more difficult on account of the vessel's conversion from a sailing ship. Mr Drown added that the men were on their stomachs for a time while working in tho bilges, and the time occupied in getting out 16 tons of tho 20 tons in the bilges bv moans of a bucket holding about 161 b was 19 hours. There is every indication that tho Dunedin Waterside Workers’ Union has decided to take a firm stand in regard to the demands made for extra money to discharge tho local portion of tho Kawatiri’s Newcastle coal The vessel has been in pbrt two days, and her hatches have not yet been opened up. A call for labour to work the Kawatiri was made at 7.45 a.m. yesterday, but there was no response. The demand made by the union concerning the working of ships at Dunedin has resulted in the Disputes Committee being called together two or three times daily throughout the week.