NO WORK ON SHIP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25964, 3 October 1945, Page 4

NO WORK ON SHIP

WATERSIDERS' ACTION FOOD CARGO DELAYED VESSEL LOADING FOR BRITAIN (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Oct. 2. As the result of a dispute over the employment of two winchmen, all work ceased on a Blue Star line vessel, the Empire. Falkland, at 5 o’clock last night and has not yet been resumed. The ship was loading produce for Great Britain, and was expected to sail on Friday. The trouble arose last Wednesday, when a gang working with the ship's gear was converted to a crane gang, and the winches were dispensed with. The two winchmen were transferred to other work, but did not accept it, and were dismissed.

The whole gang concerned stopped work at 5 o’clock on Friday night, and all the other men employed on the ship ceased at 5 o’clock last evening. A special stop-work meeting of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union confirmed their atitude. and resolved that the ship would not be worked until a settlement acceptable to the union was reached.

The practice for some years has been to transfer winchmen rendered idle by the use of cranes to other work on the ship within the limit of their classifications. The union recently objected to this practice, and a dispute was created. The Disputes Committee forwarded the matter to the Waterfront Control Commission for decision. The commission upheld the employers’ view that winchmen should be transferred to other work which they were used to performing and not be kept idle. After the present dispute arose a meeting was held between the employers and the union yesterday morning, but there was no settlement. The Waterfront Control Commission’s decision that the employers were within their rights in dismissing the men was not acceptable to the union, said the president. Mr H. Barnes. The matter nad been referred to the Waterfront Control Commission in Wellington.