FULL SUPPORT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26473, 29 May 1947, Page 6

FULL SUPPORT

GRIEVANCES OF WATERSIDERS AUSTRALIAN UNIONISTS P.A. ~ AUCKLAND, May 28. “The Waterside Workers’ Federation of Australia has pledged full support for any steps we may decide to take to have our immediate grievances satisfied,” said Mr H. Barnes, national president of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union, when he arrived from Sydney by the Tasman flying boat to-day, Mr Barnes said the immediate waterside situation in New Zealand was discussed during the conference of the executive of the two countries’ unions which was called to discuss the formation of an industrial brotherhood of waterside workers extending throughout the Pacific. The national secretary, Mr T. Hill, who accompanied Mr Barnes, remained in Australia, but is expected to return within the next few days. “Because of the immediate necessity to improve working conditions and establish some uniformity of policy in relation to many improvements required since the cessation of hostilities, the Australasian Executive requests its representative on the executive of the Bureau of the World Federation of Trade Unions to press the federation to sponsor the convening of a Pacific conference of maritime unions,, at which representation will be provided for each maritime union in the Pacific area desirous of attending,” stated a resolution carried at the conference. Mr Barnes said it was very likely that Auckland would be chosen as the place for the proposed Pan-Pacific conference, though no definite decision had yet been made.