CONTROL OF INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25674, 24 October 1944, Page 7

CONTROL OF INDUSTRY

An indication that New Zealand waterside workers are negotiating for the eventual ownership and control of their own industry is given in the New Zealand Transport Worker, the union’s official organ. Confirmation that the union was taking steps towards that goal was given by the Dominion president, Mr H. Barnes, in a statement at Auckland. He said, however, that he was not yet in 9 position to elaborate the proposals. After outlining the progress of the Union, the New Zealand Transport Worker said that a further step was now contemplated—the making of a contract in which the union, through its members, .would undertake the responsibility of doing the job. The details of the proposals would first be submitted to the national executive and, subject to its approval, a trial would be given at selected ports. “ Co-operative stevedoring will no longer be a myth if this contract can be successfully carried out,” states the article, “ for the road from complete responsibility for the job to the establishment of a stevedoring company owned and controlled by union members is not long.” Progress would be possible only if the workers measured up to the responsibilities of doing the job. If was not possible to give further information at present, but the suggested change would represent a further progressive step. It was not suggested that it was socialisation of production, the Transport Worker states, but merely a change that would give the worker an opportunity of instituting improvements in equipment and methods of loading and discharging, controlling his own job, organising the work, and minimising the accidents by having experienced men in their right positions and in attendance at each hatch. Mr Barnes said that the proposals had been the subject of discussions in Wellington between the Government, the Waterfront Control Commission, and the union. He said the new contract system would be tried first at the small ports.