WATERSIDE UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3860, 6 March 1928, Page 6

WATERSIDE UNION.

LIMITATION OF MEMBERSHIP. AUCKLAND, March 1. The discontent among the large number of wharf workers who are unable to gain admission to the Waterside Workers’ Union came to a head to-day when the fate of a large number of applications for admission was made known. Out of several hundreds who made application only 50 were successful in gaining admission to membership. Tbe principle of limiting the total membership of the union was agreed to by the Arbitration Court, and some two years ago the limit of 1510 was agreed upon between the union and the employers of wharf labour. The present position, as stated by officials of the union, is that the quota is full, and they have no power to admit any more members. The dissatisfaction is accentuated because, on account of the acute unemployment, an unusually large number of men are seeking work on the wharves. The objection to throwing the union open to all who wish to join, as some are urging, is that this would greatly increase the number of workers without, in any way, increasing the amount of work available for them. The result would be, it is argued, that there would not be a satisfactory living for any of them, while at the same time the apparent reduction in the numbers of the unemployed would lead to an immediate slackening off n the efforts being made to meet that situation.

The men outside the union, who seek to secure a share of the work on the wharves have various complaints to make, some of which are tinged with bitterness. To-day the were addressed by one of their number, H -I. M'Neil, who will speak •,© another meeting of them to-morrow. The numbers vary from day to day, but it is stated that there are some 7CO of these outsiders who are known to the union men as “ seagulls.” Many of these men have been members of the Waterside Workers’ Union in the past.