PREFERENCE LIST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26709, 2 March 1948, Page 6

PREFERENCE LIST

VESSEL AT AUCKLAND COMMISSION’S DECLARATION DISPUTE BROUGHT TO A HEAD P.A. AUCKLAND, Mar. 1. The Waterfront Industry Commission this morning took the initiative in the Auckland,, waterfront dispute, which has been in progress for some days, by declaring the wheat vessel Mountpark a preference ship. After certain priority ships have been manned, labour must be supplied for the Mountpark before men will be engaged on any new ships in port. The steamer, which carries bagged wheat from South Australia, has not been working fully since February 20, and has been completely idle since Wednesday following refusal of the waterside workers to shift the hatches. Union’s Demands The union is demanding payment for time lost by the men under suspension and asking for certain alterations to the hatches to comply with the Government regulations. The 124 men who were previously suspended from the Mountpark for refusing to shift the hatches were called for re-employ-ment by the labour engagement bureau this morning, but their discs were not lifted, and they were placed on two days’ penalty. A call was then made and accepted for certain priority ships, and the handful of remaining men were asked to work the Mountpark They refused, and were also placed on penalty. 'No labour was consequently available for the Union Company coastal ships Korowai and Waimarino, which remained idle. To-morrow morning calls for labour will be made in the following •priority: Replacements of labour for ships manned previously, non-refrigerated ships carrying perishable cargo, cement vessels,, and colliers and the Mountpark. If discs for the Mountpark are again not lifted another 124 men will be placed on two days’ penalty. The Auckland branch of the Waterside Workers’ Union held another special stop-work meeting to-day, when its decision to maintain the 40-hour week was once more confirmed. Its president, Mr H. Barnes, left by air for Wellington during the day for discussions concerning the dispute. There are 11 overseas ships and 7 large coastal vessels at the waterfront berths, 1 overseas ship and a collier at Chelsea, and 3 overseas ships—the Talabot, with Scandinavian cargo, the Paparoa, with New York cargo, and the Fort Coulogne, with Australian cargo—at anchor. Slow Discharge of Sugar Lengthy delays hp.ve been experienced in the discharge of sugar at Chelsea from the British steamer Sheaf Holme. The ship arrived from Fiji with about 8200 tons of sugar on February 8, and after three weeks’ work 4200 tons have still to be unloaded. On most days since the imposition of the 40-hour week work has ceased at 3 p.m. to enable the waterside workers to catch the ferry to the city. The next ferry reaches the Auckland waterfront some minutes after 5 p.m., and this is construed as involving overtime. The preference rule was last applied in Auckland during July and August by the employers with permission from the commission in a dunnage dispute, and at one time during the dispute more than 1000 unionists were under penalty for refusal to accept engagement on the preference vessels.