WATERSIDE CARPENTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27541, 8 November 1950, Page 6

WATERSIDE CARPENTERS

No Agreement Reached In Wage Dispute

Special Correspondent

WELLINGTON, Nov. 7. The Government now has a new waterfront problem on its hands. Representatives of the Waterside Workers’ Union and the New Zealand Port Employers’ Association at the compulsory conference called by the Labour Department for this afternoon failed to reach an agreement on wharf carpenters’ wages. There was no prospect tonight of an early settlement of the dispute, and meanwhile little or no work is being done on the preparation of overseas ships for loading at Auckland, Wellington, and Lyttelton., The failure of the conference will be reported tomorrow morning by the chairman, Mr J. A. Gilmour, S.M., to the Minister of Labour, Mr Sullivan.

An spokesman said tonight: “We regret that it was found impossible to reach an agreement, and that the union was not prepared to submit the matter to arbitration.” Mr T. Hill, the secretary of the union, had no comment to make. It is understood that the employers offered to pay waterfront carpenters 4s 2d an hour, which is the same rate as watersiders receive, but the union representatives wanted a margin for skill in carpentry work. The employers contended that wharf carpentry did not merit payment at the high rate currently received by carpenters in the building trade, as the same question of skill was not involved. The employers apparently offered to submit the dispute to the Court of Arbitration or a deputy judge of the court, but the union would not agree to go to court. The dispute is now over to the Minister for the next move. So far there has been no serious holdup to overseas ships at Wellington, as the amount of loading being done was at a mini? mum when the stoppage occurred. Wharf carpenters are stated to be finding jobs in the building trade.